Then our housekeeper stole my ATM card and the PIN number that had come in the mail to our savings account and wiped it out. The police investigated and she claimed Larry had given it to her because they were having an affair. The Credit Union used this to decline to reimburse us. Several lawyers told us the case was unwinnable, because the Credit Union (TCCU) would continue to appeal even if we won. wiping out any money we might get back.
Sorry I haven't been around but I hope the above are reasons enough.
I'm sure you did in fact emphasize the point that it was /YOUR/ ATM card not Larry's? therefore she would have had to steal it. This would void her whole defense (which is an obvious lie/excuse all together)
if the credit institution got involved in the case (such as taking sides) then that makes them at fault, they were obviously doing whats best in their business interest to not have to pay it back.
then again, it's not the credit institution that should pay it back, it's the housekeeper (you only get the credit institution to reimburse you when you don't know the culprit(s) directly). Let her get in debt for all you care, if she spent the stolen money or transferred it to family and no longer has it, then that's her fault. keep the credit institution out of it, and also make sure you demand reimbursement for all elapsed court time and lawyer fees.
make sure you make it clear that you are not asking the credit institution for a reimbursement but are suing the housekeeper directly for her theft and damages (Also make sure your husband is allowed to voice his opposition to her claim (at the witness stand) that they were having an affair, that makes her claim against his claim "hearsay" as in neither can be taken as evidence because there is no evidence to prove either, it's one person's word against another). if she has 'dirty soiled anything' with your husband's DNA, your defense is "she's the housekeeper, she had access to our waste and laundry and obviously tampered with it." very little defense to that.
Then as the credit institution is not involved in the case as anything other than a witness by which the money went through from your account to the housekeeper's account(s) they are an outside party/witness and cannot form a rebuttal or an appeal. To do so would show bias on behalf of your housekeeper.
but I'm sure you and your lawyers thought of that, so it's probably useless, but meh, it's there in the slight chance that it may be helpful.
Not to play it down, but this legal advice I'm giving is based on the information obtained in criminal law courses I took in high school in 2003-2004?.
Anyways, glad to see you're back, and I hope things start going better for you. Stuff like that really ticks me off.
Even if you wont sue her directly or such, can I have permission to make a mission/arch about this topic using different names?
"Supervillain maid possessed by terrible wicked spirits and her credit institution goons stole your money."
plot: she needs the money to buy gold to enchant to feed her wicked spirits which give her her powers and if not stopped will steal money from the whole world as an undercover housekeeper.
final mission: as you've observed the gold seems to still be inside her, beat the gold out of her to weaken her powers and free the host from the evil that possess her. defeat Wicked Maid.