can you take someone to court over something in the past?

[Josh]

So me and my ex have been broken up for about 4-5 months. I was over it. I moved on. Few weeks later i start dating her best friend. It wasn't to get back at her. I just really liked her. We had chemistry. My ex knows i'm dating her best friend now. She wasn't okay with it. She has a boyfriend now. I thought things would be okay. So she starts assuming im talking about her with my current girlfriend. (im not) She calls me a faggot and numerous other things. I call her fat and make fun of her current boyfriend. And i stop. I go back to talking to my girlfriend. She gets irritated She starts crying and wanting to cut herself. I'm just trying to fall asleep with my girlfriend on skype. She tells her parents something. Her parents are now trying to get me in trouble for things i said when when her and i were in a relationship. Ive said some messed up stuff i admit. But she has too. Again i haven't talked to her since we broke it off. Never tried to contact her. But messages on Facebook from 6 months ago. i said some mean things that i apologized for way back then. So can her parents actually take me to court for this or get me in trouble? It sounds a bit dumb..
I called* her fat. because she called me a gay. I retaliated. but after that i stopped. I called her fat once and i dropped it.. I'm not trying to start any other problems with her. I DONT TALK TO HER. SHE TALKS TO ME. I DONT RESPOND. THIS IS THE ONLY TIME I DID.

[St]

give her the old OJ treatment

[Yeti]

Stay the heck away from her. Stop calling her fat. Don't make fun of her current boyfriend. Stop feeding the fire. Cross bridges if/when they actually happen. In the meantime cease the drama and making new problems. You make a new problem now, people are going to dig up old stuff to show a pattern of behavior. Let the past be the past. And it's kind of cold to date her best friend. Just sayin.

[David S]

Without knowing the details, I would say it's highly unlikely that they have grounds for a suit against you because words alone are rarely sufficient for a court to award damages. They'd have to prove libel (for the FB posts), and that means showing financial damages. I will say this...both of you need to show much greater maturity, and act like you have good sense.

[STEVEN F]

You can ONLY sue someone over something that allegedly happened in the past. For MOST offenses, there is a 'statute of limitations' the bars lawsuits after a certain period of time. The length of such statutes is normally expressed in years, so 6 months would fall within the limits. That said, nothing in your details indicates they even had a legitimate case.

[The Great Quizoo]

The courts are not interested in childish squabbles and name calling. You are free to call her and her parents anything you like.