Is there any devices that my Mom can hook up to her home phone in order to record in-coming phone calls? My sister's idiot won't let her call anyone of her friends or siblings anymore because he is a controlling bastard. It is making her life a living hell lately and the only person she can call is our mother, but as soon as she gets on the phone he is screaming and cursing her out and telling her "yeah you're 48 years old and telling mommy everything, you stupid c___!!"

He records her as soon as she gets on the phone and deletes what he is saying and plays the recordings of my sister getting upset and yelling back at him for his friends at the bar he hangs out at. He has fun telling his friends that she is a lunatic and that everyone should avoid her at all costs. So when they take my niece to her softball games everyone will actually walk away from her when she sits on the bleachers.....but back to my question...

Mom wants to hook something up to her phone so she can record what is happening over there so when my sister is ready to leave him she will have proof of his verbal abuse and foul language in front of their 11 and 6 year olds.

They have tape recorders that are voice activated. You can get them small enough to carry with you or place them where you want them where most of the conversations happen. This is what your sister needs in her possession.

As far as his recordings they can tell in court where one has tampered with a recording. She would have to let the courts know so they could have it tested.

As far as from your mom's phone lot of times you can turn on your phone recorder that takes messages when your not home and record the call you are having with someone.

Sounds to me she needs to get out period.......instead of waiting for a specific time to leave.

I know she does, Kristi, but she can't afford a place in the area they live and she doesn't want to take the kids out of the school district because it is one of the best in the area. She has a part time job as a teachers aide in a pre-k class and he told her that she has to buy the food for the house with the money she brings in because he isn't going to pay for HER kids food anymore.

Before she got involved with him we were pretty close, now we don't even get to talk because I won't put up with him telling me to get my "fat azz" out of his house. My heart goes out to her.

I believe Radio Shack or a similar place will sell you a little deal
with a suction cup like mic on one end and a plug on the other which you can plug into a cheap hand held memo recorder.

But if she's thinking of going to court there is a whole slew of laws regarding recoding phone calls and what is admissible or not.

Actually as far as what will hold up in court. What it comes down to is if the Judge will allow it or consider what is on the recordings..

But heck now days one does not have to prove a reason to get a divorce all they have to say is they no longer can get along.

Most lawyers will not even bring up infidelity unless there is lots of money involved...

She doesn't need a recorder. She needs to pack up and move elsewhere ASAP. Her kids can do the testifying of his controlling behaviour on behalf of the recorder.

I sorta remember Radio Shack having something that plugs right into the phone line and lets you record. This was MANY years ago though.......when people actually used land lines. I might even still have one here somewhere............

How 'bout that....They still sell them. http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2104040

Now if you can just find a cassette recorder and a phone that doesn't have the keypad on the handset.

In Canada (some parts anyway if not all), the only law you need to follow when you record someone is that "one person has to know about it."

In other words, if the person recording knows about it, that's sufficient.

just ask the nsa government there already recording all your calls lol

And here I thought it was MLB responsible for it......

You got that right.

I know she does but she refuses to leave unless she can find some place in the same school district.

it sounds like the only lunatic in the equation is your brother in law, and perhaps there are harrassment laws of some kind that she can utilize. In the meantime she needs to stop using the phone in his presence. She could spread a few similar stories about him just to give him a taste of his own medicine, but he's not worth it

but shame on the people in her community who know her who are believing him, they should be ashamed of themselves, and so should the men in the bar who encourage him - they are ALL behaving abusively and should be individually and collectively ashamed of themselves

i think she should just to learn to listen and do what shes told and she wont have those problems

If she has a pc you can record phone calls directly on to it with the right software.

Dan, it's HIS computer and actaully has a password lock on it that if she wants to use it, she has to ask him to sign on. He won't even pay for a cell phone for her that can use the internet.

Sweetest, the only people who know what she is going through are a few teachers at the school where she works part time as a pre-k teacher's aide. He actually went and became certified as a substitute teacher so he can be there almost all the days she is and when she isn't, he is trying to tell lies about her there as well. She doesn't use the phone in his presence except for maybe once in two or three weeks because she can't take his screaming.

And soldier...it isn't any kind of a funny situation to be in such an abusive relationship and that is exactly what she is in. Verbal abuse can do more damage than physical abuse sometimes... I know all about it.

I meant that your mum could do that if she has a pc.

I would personally be arranging for someone's azz to be well and truly kicked in.

She's doing more damage to the kids by sticking around. She needs to get out, rather than putting up with the abuse.