2 Campton Hills families sue each other

Editor's note: This story was later updated to reflect that James Newman and Linda Creviston, both of Campton Hills, both dropped their respective cases against each other May 14, 2013, having reached an out of court settlement, according to Kane County court records.

Serving on the board of a neighborhood homeowners association can sometimes be a thankless job.

Campton Hills resident James Newman said he got plenty of grief during his service on the Fox Mill Homeowners Association from July 2008 through June 2010 from a neighbor whose attacks got personal.

Newman says he asked Linda Creviston to stop, but she continued anyway.

“I have no idea why she had a bee in her bonnet,” Newman said Monday. “When you start attacking my family, at a certain point I have to stand up and say enough is enough.”

Late last year, Newman sued Creviston for slander.

Newman seeks more than $250,000 in damages; Creviston has asked that the suit be dismissed and Kane County Judge Judith Brawka is set to rule on the matter Friday.

Newman's lawsuit accuses Creviston of spreading false rumors orally and via a specially created website claiming he cheated on his wife, falsified homeowners' association documents, and engaged in other activities that were “deceptive,” “deviant” and “sneaky.”

“This isn't about money for me. This is about getting her to stop her verbal and written personal attacks on everybody in the community that she doesn't agree with,” Newman said.

Meanwhile, Creviston recently filed a lawsuit against Newman's wife, Susan, alleging that she spread false rumors about Creviston and her family via email.

The central issue in the case, according to the suit, is a May 11, 2010 email that Susan Newman sent to unspecified neighbors in the 689-home subdivision.

The suit argues that Susan Newman's email falsely accused Creviston of spreading rumors about James Newman, making death threats against the Newman family and pets, and disrupting the homeowners association's election.

Creviston's attorneys, Philip Piscopo and Peter Storm, did not return phone messages Monday nor last week. In the suit, Piscopo argues that Susan Newman knew the information was false but sent the email anyway.

Creviston seeks damages of more than $50,000 and has demanded a jury trial.

Both sides are due in court for an initial hearing on that case on July 28.

On May 14, 2013, Newman and Creviston both dropped their respective cases against each other May 14, 2013, having reached an out of court settlement, according to Kane County court records.