"Mrs. Peterson," her lawyer began, "can you describe the incident in your own words?"
She took a deep breath. "Yes, thank you. It was a beautiful morning until he decided to sabotage community property. I was overseeing the construction of our tennis court, a project approved by the HOA for everyone's benefit. Suddenly, the bridge gave way. It was terrifying."
Her lawyer nodded solemnly. "And you believe Mr. Carter intentionally weakened it?"
"I know he did," she said, eyes flashing. "He's been hostile toward the HOA since day one. He even told me once that gravity would teach us boundaries."
Murmurs rippled through the courtroom.
Lisa stood slowly. "Mrs. Peterson, may I ask: how many times did your vehicles cross Mr. Carter's bridge before this collapse?"
Karen hesitated. "Several."
"Specifically?"
"Maybe ten or twelve."
Lisa smiled. "And each time, you ignored the posted five-ton weight limit?"
Karen straightened her shoulders. "Those signs weren't official."
"Do you mean they weren't approved by you?"
The courtroom chuckled. Karen's lawyer objected, but the judge waved it off.
Lisa continued: "Mrs. Peterson, are you aware that your cement truck weighed nearly twelve tons?"
Karen froze.
"And are you aware that the county's official map lists Mr. Carter's bridge as a private access crossing?"
Her lips parted. "That's... that's incorrect."
Lisa walked to the evidence table and held up the county document. "This is the original plat map from the Department of Transportation. It clearly marks the bridge as private. Would you like to read it?"