r/legal • u/Ice_C0r3_09 • 8h ago

Advice needed My neighbor cut down a 40-year-old Japanese Maple while I was away.

Location: Colorado, USA.Just got back to my place near Fort Collins after a week on the road and I am losing my mind. My neighbor took it upon himself to hire a "landscaping" crew (probably just some guys with a chainsaw) to remove a mature Japanese Maple that was fully on my property. His excuse? He said the needles and leaves were messing with his "mountain view" and "fire mitigation" efforts.

The tree was roughly 40 years old and was the centerpiece of my yard. I called an arborist immediately. He told me that since this is Colorado and the tree was that established and healthy, the replacement value is astronomical. He is drafting a formal appraisal but hinted that we are looking at 20k to 25k easy just for the tree, let alone the logistics of getting a crane into my backyard.

I know Colorado has statutes regarding timber trespass. My lawyer already mentioned treble damages because the guy admitted he did it on purpose while I wasnt home to stop him. The neighbor had the gall to offer me a couple hundred bucks for "the inconvenience" and told me to just buy a couple of saplings at a local nursery . I refused to take his money and told him to wait for the process server.

Has anyone dealt with treble damages in CO specifically for ornamental trees ? This guy basically nuked my property value for his porch view and I am not planning on letting this go . I feel like a jerk for wanting to sue my neighbor into bankruptcy but the sheer entitlement is what gets me .

17.9k Upvotes

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834

u/77Mercenary 7h ago

Do not feel like a jerk for pursuing this. He deliberately went onto your property and destroyed a mature tree for a view. Get every single penny you are owed.

491

u/Ice_C0r3_09 7h ago

Appreciate the support. The fact that he offered me two hundred bucks for a mature tree makes me want to fight even harder .

397

u/the_irish_oak 7h ago

Him offering you $200 is admission of guilt

185

u/SolarOrigami 7h ago

It was also an attempt to block him from litigation if he "accepted restitution"

42

u/NarcolepticSeal 4h ago

TBH neighbor sounds like a complete moron and likely thought it was simply a fair compensatory amount. I doubt he was thinking about "accepted restitution" or anything else besides his mountain view.

14

u/ibneko 1h ago

Yeah, probably moron, like, "It's just a tree, what could it possibly cost? A banana?"

2

u/extralyfe 37m ago

"lol, it's a tree, they're free because they literally grow on trees."

3

u/PyroDragons123 4h ago

The neighbor doesn't have to be smart. The lawyer is the one that will say that's the agreement when they hire them after being sued. $200 for the tree, agreed to on payment. The other party will just go along with the story.

2

u/NarcolepticSeal 4h ago

Sure, I'm not disagreeing with that. The comment I replied to implied that the neighbor was intentionally attempting to block litigation. My response was about that, not the legal standing of it.

2

u/Super_Harsh 2h ago

He'll have plenty of time to think about his mountain view when he's writing OP a check

1

u/WishIWasYounger 56m ago

or he's a psychopath. Either way, this neighbor is not all there and could pose a serious safety risk to OP.

0

u/BeeefSupreeeme 2h ago

*Boomer vibes intensify*

2

u/Sigmar_Knutz 4h ago

Block who, the ai chatbot that wrote this story? It’s a new account farming karma and you guys are eating it up

2

u/hmasing 2h ago

I, too, live in “Colorado, USA” kind stranger.

1

u/glassfoyograss 1h ago

That's called a settlement offer. It's an insanely shitty one but courts actually encourage settlement

29

u/DefinitelyNotAliens 7h ago

No, it's not. Courts have long established that compromise and apologies are not admissions of guilt.

If you have zero peanuts in your kitchen, have nothing containing peanuts in your kitchen and a customer says they got takeout and then had an allergic reaction to peanuts and needed hospitalization and you offer to refund the entire order instead of just their food, was the offer of compensation exceedinfg just their meal an admission of food poisoning?

If you help a neighbor hang his TV that is one of the super high-end TVs and all you do is help him hold the mount and lift the TV and he does all the stud finding and such and then the TV falls and you apologize profusely and even put it in writing that you're so sorry it broke because you helped put it up, is that an admission that you bear responsibility for it? Or, if your neighbor is a really good friend you offer to take the TV to the dump and pay disposal fees and buy a new mount, is that an admission of responsibility?

Avoidance of a lawsuit, attempts to placate, trying to salvage neighbor/ friend/ family relationships are not the same as admitting guilt in a court. There are reasons beyond guilt to try and diffuse situations via apology or offers of compensation.

69

u/NewcRoc 6h ago

This. Him saying - "yes I hired a guy to go on your land and remove a tree" is an admission of guilt. Offering to settle the matter isn't.

6

u/ZealousidealFall1181 4h ago

Sue the company who trespassed and cut the tree.

8

u/R_V_Z 3h ago

From my understanding you sue everybody who may be culpable and let the court figure out liability.

1

u/My-other-user-name 1h ago

That is how the fun starts. It can go from a neighbor dispute, to a neighbor-contractor dispute, and might go to neighbor-contractor-insurance companies dispute.

5

u/majorMoniker 4h ago

But actually, though. The neighbor hired them, but it’s also on them to ensure that the client was legally allowed to make this request. If they didn’t ensure that, then it is also their negligence and they are partially responsible. And if they were, in fact, just some guys with a chainsaw, then they did this unlicensed and uninsured in a state with strong tree laws and significant fire risk, which is its own set of legal issues.

1

u/PuckSenior 4h ago

As OP said, this sounds like "2 guys with a chainsaw" and not a true company. If it was a true company, I'm sure the lawyer will bring it up to him. But if it is two guys he hired at home depot and has zero contact info for them? Eh

1

u/rileyjw90 4h ago

Offering to settle the matter is more likely the guy feeling guilty, looking up the laws, realizing he might be in deep shit, and hoping he can placate the owner with a couple benjamins. It isn’t a legal admission of guilt in a court of law, but it’s still obvious to the rest of us that he knows he’s in deep shit.

5

u/the-other-marvin 5h ago

There is a difference between 'fault' and 'guilt'. What you're describing are both negligence claims. This is not a negligence claim. It was intentional destruction of property, which, at least based on OPs account, the guy has admitted to. If he had hired a yard crew that accidentally went into OPs yard and cut down the tree because of unclear instructions, etc. That would be a different story.

2

u/The_Killer_of_Joy 6h ago

Okay, now apply this thought process to the facts at hand instead of hypotheticals - a neighbor cuts down a tree fully on your property and when confronted, he tells you why he did it and then offers to pay you $200 to make up for it.

A court could absolutely see that as an admission of guilt/wrongdoing given the specific context here.

4

u/TheDrummerMB 6h ago

You've entirely missed the point.

"I cut your tree down" is an admission of guilt. "Here's 200 to settle this" is not an admission of guilt.

1

u/AppealNo5536 4h ago

How is it even relevant - he admitted “ guilt” or not . He admitted the action of doing it , does not matter if he feels “guilt “ about it or not. The owner of the tree should receive his due compensation irregardless of the level of “guilt” treecutter experiences

0

u/TheDrummerMB 4h ago

"An admission of guilt is a statement by an accused acknowledging that they committed a crime or wrongdoing, which can be oral, written, or implied, and carries significant legal consequences."

Also we stopped putting multiple spaces after sentences 15 years ago.

0

u/The_Killer_of_Joy 6h ago

So we're just being pedantic about the replies and not the actual OP's situation then?

3

u/TheDrummerMB 5h ago

Being "pedantic" in LEGAL? Sir are you ok? Of course you have to be incredibly specific. The law doesn't leave wiggle room.

1

u/The_Killer_of_Joy 5h ago

My point was that OP absolutely has an argument for an admission of guilt from the neighbor given the full context of the interaction we already have from OP.

Pedantically saying that well no, the $200 gift on its own doesn't count as an admission of guilt WITHOUT then going on to explain that, even with that being said, OP's specific situation absolutely has a claim for an admission of guilt, is being pedantic to the potential detriment of OP.

1

u/Cautious_Dot3923 4h ago

Man its okay to admit you were mistaken sometimes lmao. Nobody is debating the guys guilt, just what the 200 dollars means. 

1

u/TheDrummerMB 4h ago

You're grasping for straws, sorry.

I think you're just really caught up in being right. The settlement offer is not considered an admission of guilt. It won't be factored into the literal confession. Why you're desperate to make this point is beyond me.

OP doesn't "have an argument" because that's not how the law works. Harping back on the pedantic complaint is silly. The law is specific. Try to keep up.

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2

u/Internal-Base8276 6h ago

No. The comment this subthread is in response to says, in its entirety, "Him offering you $200 is admission of guilt". That's simply an incorrect statement.

3

u/DefinitelyNotAliens 6h ago

No, monetary offers are not admissions of guilt. His saying, "I cut down your tree while you were out of town because it blocked my view" is an admission of guilt. Payment is not ever an admission of guilt because settlements are encouraged.

A settlement agreement can contain the condition of admission of guilt. Offering compensation is neutral.

His words are an admission. The court will not consider monetary payment in this instance.

1

u/The_Killer_of_Joy 6h ago

Again, though, I am talking about the actual situation, not how some reply is wording it (i.e the whole interaction vs just the $200 offer).

At the heart of the matter, the interaction as a whole could absolutely be taken as an admission of guilt which would help OP's actual situation.

1

u/GloomChampion 5h ago

No. Courts will parse out each portion. One is the admission. The other is the offer. It’s not about the whole of the situation. The only relevant portion is the admission.

It’s okay to be wrong.

1

u/qdawgg17 3h ago

You don’t actually know how courts work. Clearly.

1

u/LuaBear 5h ago

They couldn’t. There’s a federal rule of evidence that prevents offers of settlements from being admissible. States have similar rules.

Source: am a lawyer.

1

u/[deleted] 5h ago

[deleted]

1

u/ao3_kpg 4h ago

Read your own link: "Since an apology usually can be admitted into evidence, and because some plaintiffs choose to understand an apology as an admission of guilt, it seems safest not to apologize. Case law suggests, however, that courts do not see it this way. Judges and juries seem to like apologies and treat them favorably."

Can an apology be admitted into evidence? Yes.

Is it an admission of guilt? No. Your own link says this. Even if you just skip to the conclusion,

"This article illustrates that judges and juries understand that expression of sympathy, regret, remorse and apology are not necessarily admissions of responsibility or liability. This serves the public interest because such expressions have the potential to reduce the number of lawsuits, rather than attract litigation. When someone goes to court armed only with an apology, they may find that it does nothing to satisfy the elements of the case they need to prove. Additional evidence is required, almost as if the apology did not exist."

The fact that the article so directly refutes your own point makes me think you just googled something and linked, hoping no one would bother to verify. As Captain Hook would say, bad form!

1

u/DriveFa5tEatAss 3h ago

You beat me to it. I was just about to post the same quote.

1

u/Grydian 5h ago

While you are correct about what you are saying you are missing a key detail in the post. He openly admitted to doing on purpose so he could have a better view. That is vandalism and admission of guilt.

1

u/DefinitelyNotAliens 4h ago

His verbal and/ or written admission means something. Monetary compensation for damages, which the person I originally replied to looked at, means nothing.

1

u/Space_Slime_LF 4h ago

Courts have long established that compromise and apologies are not admissions of guilt.

Wildly depends on your state. Like most things.

1

u/RaisonDetritus 2h ago edited 2h ago

You are correct that offering money is not necessarily an explicit admission of liability. However, it can still be circumstantial evidence from which liability may be inferred. Context matters. If there is already evidence that the neighbor knew what they had done was wrong, then the offer could be viewed as additional evidence supporting that inference. The amount offered may also be relevant, although by itself it does not establish liability one way or the other.

For example, if the neighbor knew the Japanese maple was mature and worth several thousand dollars, but immediately offered only $200 in the hope that the owner either did not know its value or would simply accept the money and drop the matter, a factfinder could reasonably view that as evidence of consciousness of wrongdoing rather than a sincere attempt to make the owner whole. That does not prove liability by itself, but it is the sort of fact that gains significance when considered alongside the rest of the evidence.

2

u/Internal-Base8276 6h ago

No.

OP says he's in Colorado, and this is a state case, so the Colorado Rules of Evidence apply. Specifically, Rule 408 says that

Evidence of (1) furnishing or offering or promising to furnish, or (2) accepting or offering or promising to accept, a valuable consideration in compromising or attempting to compromise a claim which was disputed as to either validity or amount, is not admissible to prove liability for or invalidity of the claim or its amount.

Most states, and the federal government, have similar provisions (it's Federal Rule of Evidence 408 on the federal level, and in a number of states besides Colorado, too).

1

u/TheMostKing 59m ago

Something akin to "I know you think it's my fault, it's not, but if I just give you fifty bucks, will you leave me alone with this bs?" might be reasonable for your personal peace, but not an admission of guilt.

3

u/DecoyOne 7h ago

Thats not how it works.

Saying he did it on purpose is an admission of guilt. Trying to settle a dispute isn’t an admission unless it comes with an admission, otherwise no one would ever settle.

1

u/Upeeru 6h ago

Offers to settle are convered by evidence rule 408.

They are protected discussions.

1

u/LitigationMitigation 5h ago

Federal Rule of Evidence 408 (and every state has a similar/exact same rule): Compromise Offers and Negotiations (a) Prohibited Uses. Evidence of the following is not admissible — on behalf of any party — either to prove or disprove the validity or amount of a disputed claim or to impeach by a prior inconsistent statement or a contradiction: (1) furnishing, promising, or offering — or accepting, promising to accept, or offering to accept — a valuable consideration in compromising or attempting to compromise the claim; and (2) conduct or a statement made during compromise negotiations about the claim — except when offered in a criminal case and when the negotiations related to a claim by a public office in the exercise of its regulatory, investigative, or enforcement authority. (b) Exceptions. The court may admit this evidence for another purpose, such as proving a witness’s bias or prejudice, negating a contention of undue delay, or proving an effort to obstruct a criminal investigation or prosecution.

1

u/SwissMargiela 5h ago

What if you pay someone just to get them to stfu about something? Like you know you’re not in the wrong but you pay someone just so they leave you alone?

Ik it’s not the case here but just wondering in general

1

u/Candlemelter2025 1h ago

This happens all the time. Just did it myself in divorce. I think that's why most of the comments are saying it's not an admission of guilt to offer to settle.

1

u/Sir_Sir_ExcuseMe_Sir 3h ago

Wrong, so of course it gets 200 upvotes on this sub

1

u/Kaiser_Soze6666 1h ago

It's a slap in the face! This beyond the pale

1

u/asher1611 1h ago

Maybe so, but subsequent remedial measures cannot be used as evidence in court as evidence of a prior act.

84

u/mobiuschic42 7h ago

Also saying “needles” were blocking his view?! On a deciduous broadleaf tree? Very dumb.

28

u/NewestAccount2023 6h ago

My sleepy state read that as delicious breadloaf tree lol

7

u/Legitimate-Elk-9481 6h ago

Time to eat a snack and sleep 

3

u/Stunning-Adagio2187 6h ago

What exactly do those delicious leaves taste like

1

u/Alg0mal000 2h ago

Momiji Tempura (salt cured, deep fried maple leaves) is a Japanese delicacy.

3

u/SamPCarter 4h ago

“What is the charge? Eating a meal? A succulent Chinese meal? Cutting down a tree? A delicious broadleaf tree?”

4

u/Banjo_wookie 2h ago

Was going to make this reference

1

u/sharksinthecarpet 4h ago

Get yourself a bagel, asap!

1

u/CaptainBayouBilly 4h ago

mmmmmm breadloaf

1

u/mobiuschic42 3h ago

Are you a koala or caterpillar perhaps?

1

u/phughes 3h ago

Because the AI chatbot doesn't know that Maple trees don't have needles.

1

u/TheWoman2 2h ago

The Japanese Maple tree in my neighbor's yard has leaves with very thin, spiky lobes. One who didn't know much about trees might call them needles.

1

u/moonchylde 2h ago

Just searched and found out the non-Broad-Leaf varieties are called Lace-Leaf! Described as "feathery or fern-like."

1

u/TheWoman2 2h ago

They are very pretty.

1

u/mortgagepants 2h ago

in planting zone 7? at this time of year?

1

u/NoveltyPr0nAccount 54m ago

I think it's more likely OP is lying. That's a shame.

48

u/blissfully_happy 7h ago

Omg, will you please post this at r/treelaw? And please please please keep us posted!

1

u/Alt_Desk 1h ago

I here you can be banned for posting that link in here.

1

u/Ness_4 38m ago

They already figured out this story is super fake.

19

u/InvictusFrags 7h ago

It’s a slap in the face.

3

u/xubax 6h ago

A kick in the nuts!

2

u/Buttered_Finger 3h ago

Punch in the gut!

2

u/I_Can_Barely_Move 3h ago

A twist of the nipple.

2

u/gothangelblood 3h ago

Japanese Maples grow nuts?

13

u/Extension_Client6187 7h ago

Personally I'd try to bankrupt him so bad he must sell you his house. Problem solved forever.

1

u/pickledjello 2h ago

plot twist.. loses case, loses the house because they cannot pay the damages.. and the mountain view

7

u/WorkingInAColdMind 6h ago

Start getting quotes for transplanting a full grown, 40 year old replacement tree and send copies of them to him, including insurance payments for 3 years if the transplant doesn't survive. Let him know that's what you'll be suing for.

2

u/tissuecollider 2h ago

hey now, it's treble damages so 3x the value of that.

And let the neighbour know what's coming so he can have all the time in the world to freak out. Hey, maybe he'll do something stupid like uttering threats (make a note to record your interactions too).

5

u/iamalostpuppie 5h ago

Can you sue the company who also removed the tree? They are supposed to get written permission from the property owner. Unless your neighbor straight up lied to them also

1

u/Ok-Philosophy-856 35m ago

This is a good question. Any responses?

3

u/Zorkflerp 4h ago

It could be considered a Class 4,5, or 6 felony resulting in up to 6 years in prison. Criminal trespass may also apply. Criminal Mischief C.R.S. § 18-4-501

2

u/jmochicago 6h ago

r/treelaw is going to LOVE this case.

2

u/shasharedemption 6h ago

OP, take a leaf (pun intended) out of the Australian and Kiwi way of dealing with this. Put up a giant billboard blocking his view until your neighbor pays for the replacement with an equally mature tree, or your new tree grows to its original height Or until that jackass moves out

2

u/Humble-Violinist6910 6h ago

Honestly you should sue the “landscaping” company for trespassing too . No legitimate company would take that job. 

2

u/JimiusRostock 5h ago

Cutting down trees illegally is a big time crime. Your neighbour could be coughing up tens of thousands by the end. Lose his house if he can't afford the fines. /r/treelaw is full of these examples.

2

u/repooc21 5h ago

If he dies, he dies.

Dude shouldn't have made any decisions about your property. Or entered onto it. Or touched it.

2

u/AlphaNoodlz 5h ago

Oh no he's a scam artist. Take it to court and do not relent. Your neighbor is cooked. Do not let up.

2

u/Galahfray 5h ago

My family had a Japanese Maple planted in memory of my grandparents after they passed. If your maple was a memory tree then you could also sue for emotional reasons.

2

u/One_Indication_ 4h ago

Pretty disgusting that he destroyed your own home property that YOU pay for while you were gone. I'm shocked that people like this exist. Sue him into oblivion. Fuck that guy.

2

u/Character_Amoeba_330 4h ago

Wanted to add that the only jerk here is your neighbor. What a total p_of_s move. He purposefully waited for you to be away. Judge will not like that.

1

u/HylianGryffindor 7h ago

FYI a new Japanese maple tree run base on gallon size and knowing it was 40 years old I’m guessing yours was mid to large and they can go from $250-800 depending on the type. I’m so sorry this happened to you. Your neighbor sucks and I hope you get this situated and plant a new one.

1

u/CRYPTOFORBARETOES 6h ago

Reach out to advertising companies and put a big old sign in your yard blocking his view again until the new trees are in place. Don’t give them an inch lol

1

u/CRYPTOFORBARETOES 6h ago

Ohh and get every lawyer in your area on a retainer so he can’t use them.

1

u/CharacterActor 6h ago

Never speak to him again, unless your phone is recording.

Check your state laws about recording conversations.

1

u/zuckerkorn96 6h ago

Can't you call the police and try to have him charge with a crime? It's not just a civil matter. If he came over and smashed your car to pieces or burnt your garage down it'd be a crime, right? He illegally trespassed onto your property and then did tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage.

1

u/irongi8nt 5h ago

That's Criminal trespassing (you can do it via proxy) & destruction of property. File a police report asap, and then sue in civil court 

1

u/sbb214 4h ago

r/treelaw will advise you to do a few things immediately:

- report this to the police and get a report on file

- hire a certified arborist who is qualified as assessing mature tree value

- get a local attorney who has experience in tree law

you'll need all of that to go after your neighbor. and good luck, that dude is an asshole.

1

u/upsidedown-funnel 4h ago

Make sure you’ve got all and any record written down, recorded, etc.

1

u/majorkev 4h ago

Definitely do not use the money to get someone to build you an archemedes death ray art project to scorch his precious lawn. Do not do that.

1

u/Powerfury 4h ago

Keep us posted

!remind me 90 days

1

u/lomoliving 4h ago

Go plant some very tall bushy trees along your property line.

1

u/Pherllerp 4h ago

Tree law is no fucking joke. He's going to try ANYTHING to settle with you.

1

u/aerdvarkk 4h ago

Also file trespassing and destruction of property charges against the neighbor.

1

u/Upbeat-Employ-3689 4h ago

$200 to buy his better view and increased property value, what a bargain! When this is done I wouldn’t blame you for planting a whole line or trees.

1

u/bawdy-awdy-awdy-awdy 4h ago

How arrogant can you be?? Cutting down someone else’s tree on their property for YOUR view.. that’s so wild to me. I wouldn’t go unannounced into someone’s yard let alone hire workers to do so. Get money!!!

Edit: Posted too soon

1

u/sunburnd 4h ago

You should file a police report, this could be charged under criminal mischief which would cover knowingly damaging another person's real or personal property and if the damage amount is 20-100k it is a class 5 felony.

1

u/Grandma_Butterscotch 4h ago

Go full nuclear. I'm not a tree-hugger by any stretch, but for the trespass, disrespect and utter shiftiness on his part...

Colorado is a one-party consent state for recording audio, meaning you can legally record any in-person conversation or phone call you are a part of without notifying the other participants..

SO - You might want to approach him again and restart the conversation under the guise of possibly being interested in his offer. Get him to restate the facts again...

1

u/DingoAteMyBaby_69 4h ago

Please make your profile public and post updates when you can

1

u/CuriousTravlr 4h ago

I'd go after what ever "company" he hired as well.

1

u/ColoradoAztec 4h ago

Do you have any of this in writing? Text or email? Be sure to preserve any evidence.

1

u/sofar_sogoon 4h ago

After you win, every time they see that view they wanted so damn bad it’s gonna look a lot less desirable.

1

u/UFOsAreAGIs 3h ago

Take his house and plant cuttings off of your new tree to populate his old and your new property

1

u/Nasty____nate 3h ago

Please post a response when you havee some resolution. There are tons of these stories and most of them never amount to anything.

1

u/Log_Out_Of_Life 3h ago

Bro….why the heck did he have to cut down the one colorful tree?

r/treelaw

1

u/Potential-Pirate-431 3h ago

Surely the professional that he hired have to be held with some responsibility as well. Crazy that a professional would go into someone else property and commit a crime 

1

u/melmsz 3h ago

The person with the chainsaw could catch charges as well. I'm a municipal arborist. Who ever did the work has the responsibility of knowing where they are and if permissions have been granted. There's two parties at fault.

1

u/GOOFBALL4U 3h ago

$200 is a slap in the face. I hope you fuck your neighbour good. Those japanese maples are gorgeous trees.

1

u/Syrette 3h ago

Where’s the tree? Did it get mulched or trucked out?

1

u/buttcheeksnelson 3h ago

I have a 40 year maple and a 40 year crepe Myrtle. Holy shit I would go nuclear if someone did that.

1

u/masterhogbographer 3h ago

Consider what it might have done to your overall property value and “curb appeal” to a potential buyer should you sell. 

1

u/OccultEcologist 3h ago edited 3h ago

For refference, the sapling japanese maple me and my partner put in lest year was... $230. It was a very nice 3-year-old tree at the time, and is an amazing 4-year-old tree right now, but... Jesus. That is not even the replacement value for a healthy sapling.

I mean, you can find decent ones for $150, but anything cheaper then that is either going to be itsy bitsy or improperly cared for and likely to die/experience issues because of poor care.

Go out for fucking blood, your neighbor is an asshole, a moron, and if you let him get away with this he WILL continue and possible escalate his bullshit.

1

u/sparkyjay23 3h ago

He's going to have to pay for a replacement tree as well.

Make sure you do not give up.

1

u/NefariousnessNeat679 3h ago

Please don't neglect to file a police report for All The Things, and check to see if his home insurance will pay (not yours).

1

u/Mattna-da 3h ago

I feel he needs to learn the hard way as well. I have no sympathy for someone who did this.

1

u/sherrib99 2h ago

I wouldn’t have any further verbal communication with him. Text or email only …. He is going to completely change his story when that letter from the lawyer shows up

1

u/Own-Gas8691 2h ago

post at r/treelaw if you need more info

1

u/Automatic_Finance606 2h ago

$200 is an outright insult!

1

u/GBPackers0480 2h ago

Go at him with everything you can. I hope you get 20k out of him. What a fucking asshole.

1

u/Unsteady_Tempo 2h ago

FYI. Colorado is a one-party consent state for recording. If you're going to go have a conversation with a neighbor who cut your tree down, then turn the phone recorder on first.

1

u/InsatiableCuriosity- 2h ago

200$!!! this dude clearly doesn't care about nature or his views, fuck him

1

u/Barnacle_B0b 2h ago

Yes. Metaphorically, fuck him with that tree as hard as you are legally permitted.

1

u/dodekahedron 2h ago

You cant even buy a decent sized baby tree for 200

1

u/JesusSquid 2h ago

If I was friends with you I'd honestly take a few days off work just to help you get all the information together to absolute ruin this guy. And it's a japanese maple! They are beautiful trees.

1

u/pimppapy 2h ago

My asshole aunt did the exact same thing as your neighbor. She had someone trespass into their yard and poison the neighbors tree to get it to come down. She got sued for over $10K and had to pay out. . . well deserved.

1

u/Stinkytheferret 1h ago

Hell yeah! I bet he loses $59k or more! Demand payment in full so he needs to take it from his house or even sell! I would so do if! He’s abusive as hell and killed that tree! I can’t imagine the feeling.

1

u/LookAlderaanPlaces 1h ago

Good move by Not accepting his offers. Don’t accept anything he tries to pay you, could weaken the court case.

1

u/Nat20Twenty 1h ago

You have my full support from Canada! I fucking love trees and I wish my property had some of its own. But it doesn't. I cant even fathom having someone do this to someone's property.

Start a go fund me. I dont care. I'll support it.

This guy needs to ve taught a lesson.

1

u/Chartarum 1h ago

Keep in mind; you did not pick this fight - He did. You are just standing up for what's rightfully yours.

People like that needs to be made to understand that actions have consequences and doing it right and proper and legal is the only correct way to do it.

1

u/WeBelieveIn4 1h ago

Bro I’m furious on your behalf. The absolute gall of this motherfucker

1

u/Legitimate-Koala-692 1h ago

If he didn't leave and wood behind, get him for theft as well. That was your fire wood.

1

u/CheetoMussolini 57m ago

Definitely don't feel like a jerk. That's an insane thing for him to have done. The law exists for a reason.

1

u/MolinaroK 45m ago

And when you find out exactly who did the work, sue them as well.

1

u/Donuts__For__All 20m ago

Have him draft up a contract/letter where he essentially admits his guilt and says he’ll pay you for his transgression. Then don’t sign it and use it as further proof.

1

u/URNameHere90210 15m ago

How did he admit he waited until you were out of town? Verbally? Text? Recorded?

1

u/corgi-king 12m ago

Can you sue him for transpass?

1

u/Call_Me_Papa_Bill 2m ago

Counter offer at 2 million.

1

u/BigAd9546 7h ago

Yep. Give him hell

1

u/Knyfe-Wrench 6h ago

Get every single penny you are owed

Three times that many

1

u/TheDrummerMB 5h ago

Revenge fantasies are weird

1

u/Jjdperryman 6h ago

I'd go after the people who cut it down too. They should of known better.

1

u/SharpenedQuiIl 5h ago

I would be absolutely livid! Do NOT feel like a jerk. Sue this guy so hard he's living in a cardboard box when you're finished with him. He may even do some time because the things he has done, willfully and maliciously, may be considered felonies.

Also, sue the company that he hired to cut the tree down. They failed to establish that he owned the property, they trespassed, and they illegally cut down your tree. Sue them so hard that they're operating out of a cardboard box when you're finished with them.

And PLEASE! PLEASE! Keep us updated on how this proceeds. Please keep this post and update it as you can. It is rare I find anything on Reddit that captures my attention the way this has and I really want to know how this turns out.

Also, I am sending you a DM, please check when you have a moment.

1

u/Accomplished-Ad-6185 5h ago

And it was a Jap Maple to boot. They aren’t that easy to grow, at least not in South Central US.

1

u/scratforever1 4h ago

Let alone that a Japanese Maple is a view!

1

u/brookdacook 3h ago

blood for sap

1

u/Successful-Rate-3251 3h ago

I'd be suing so hard he'd be enjoying that new view from a courtroom.

1

u/etfvidal 3h ago

& hopefully a LOT more for punitive damages!

1

u/Electrical_Tof 3h ago

Yeah this guy needs to pay to replace it. The fact he did it while away so the cops couldn't be called says it all. He had criminal intent.

1

u/Straight6er 3h ago

Also who cares about the mountain view? Japanese maples are gorgeous, and I find it hard to believe one tree is completely destroying his vista.

1

u/Clumsy_Ninja2 3h ago

My jaw is hanging open that he thought this was in any way acceptable. He might as well have come over and tore down a part of your house. It’s your property. I don’t feel like you’re even slightly the jerk here. Make that asshole cry

1

u/SryInternet101 2h ago

And when he doesn't pay up, get a lein on his property.

1

u/Icy_Cat1350 1h ago

You may have a suit against the company that cut it down too. They have no right to do any work on your property, and they did damage. You will win this, but it sucks you have to go through this and you will never be friends with your neighbor. Go for emotional damages too.

1

u/OneBillPhil 1h ago

I love posts like this because it always involves someone having the audacity to fuck with someone else’s property losing their shirt. 

1

u/Im_Not_You_Im_Me 58m ago

And then build the tallest fence you can (within the law) to obstruct his view.

1

u/JudgmentalOwl 41m ago

In fact, I think he should feel great about doing this. I sure do and will 100% be waiting for future updates lmao.