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My HOA president sued me for $75,000 claiming my Halloween decorations were "psychological terrorism" and caused her "seasonal trauma disorder." She demanded compensation for therapy costs because my plastic skeleton holding a "Welcome" sign was "glorifying death." The lawsuit cost me $22,000 in legal fees before a judge threw it out calling it "the most absurd case of Halloween hysteria" he'd ever seen.

The HOA president, Patricia Williams, seemed normal during my walkthrough—professional, organized. What she didn't mention was her pathological hatred of Halloween.

My first October, I put up modest decorations. A few pumpkins and a friendly plastic skeleton named "Mort" holding a "Welcome Friends" sign. Nothing scary—church fall festival level stuff.

Patricia appeared at my door at 7 AM clutching HOA regulations.

"Your decorations violate section 4.7," she announced. "No displays that could be considered 'disturbing or offensive.'"

Section 4.7 was written to prevent hate symbols and graphic content. My smiling skeleton hardly qualified.

"Patricia, it's just a friendly Halloween decoration."

Her face contorted with disgust. "That thing represents death. It's morbid and inappropriate."

I moved Mort to my backyard. Wrong move. Patricia wanted total Halloween prohibition.

She started patrolling nightly, photographing Halloween decorations. Pumpkins, wreaths, even orange flowers got documented as "violations."

When Patricia discovered my orange string lights on my patio, she called an emergency HOA meeting about "seasonal light pollution."

"Orange lights trigger my anxiety," she announced to twelve confused homeowners. "The color orange reminds me of dangerous things—fire, warning signs, Halloween."

Patricia started issuing daily violation notices: "autumn-themed doormat creates seasonal pressure," "fall leaf wreath promotes decomposition imagery." Each came with a $50 fine.

When I refused to pay fines for orange flowers, Patricia threatened property liens.

I hired a lawyer, but Patricia filed a county complaint claiming my decorations created "public nuisance conditions."

When the county inspector laughed, Patricia snapped. She hired her brother-in-law's law firm and filed a $75,000 lawsuit claiming my decorations caused her "severe emotional distress and seasonal trauma disorder."

Patricia claimed seeing my skeleton triggered "death-related panic episodes" requiring therapy. She demanded $25,000 for psychological treatment, $30,000 for "property value diminishment," and $20,000 in punitive damages.

Her complaint included photos of Mort and a therapist's letter diagnosing her with "environmental anxiety disorder triggered by mortality-themed visual stimuli."

Fighting this could cost $20,000-$30,000 in legal fees I didn't have.

Every day brought new legal documents, discovery requests, depositions. Patricia demanded my financial records, employment history, medical records. My wife started having panic attacks about losing our house.

Four months in, I'd spent $14,000 defending myself. We borrowed money from my parents, canceled our anniversary trip, considered selling our car.

Patricia enjoyed watching me suffer. She'd wave cheerfully while I sat with legal paperwork, knowing she was financially destroying me over a plastic skeleton.

Patricia's deposition was pure theater. She claimed my skeleton caused her to "relive childhood trauma" and triggered "fight-or-flight responses." She'd kept a "trauma diary" with timestamps and symptoms.

Her therapist testified that Patricia suffered "legitimate psychological distress" requiring $200-per-session treatment. The therapist had seen Patricia exactly three times, all after the lawsuit began.

Eight months later, we got our court date. Patricia arrived with a PowerPoint presentation and a poster-sized photo of friendly Mort.

"Your Honor," Patricia's lawyer began, "my client has suffered severe psychological trauma from death-themed decorations deliberately placed to cause distress."

The judge studied the evidence photo. "Ma'am, this appears to be a standard Halloween decoration."

"That's exactly the problem!" Patricia exclaimed. "Society normalizes death imagery, but some of us are sensitive to these triggers! This man deliberately traumatized me!"

My lawyer presented counter-evidence: photos of Patricia's own Halloween decorations from previous years, documentation of her harassment of multiple neighbors.

The judge dismissed the case immediately, calling it "the most absurd case of Halloween hysteria" he'd encountered. He ordered Patricia to pay my $22,000 in legal fees and issued a restraining order.

Patricia resigned as HOA president the next week and moved out three months later.