Sued for Taking a Bath

Via Overlawyered, is the incredible story of Shannon Peterson, who is being sued for taking a bath before work.  Really:

Many people find the sound of running water soothing and peaceful.

Not Marvin and Goldie Smith, who have sued their neighbor over her 5 a.m. baths.

The
couple, 83 and 78 respectively, live on the eighth floor of the Polo
Club Condominiums near the Cherry Creek Shopping Center. They claim the
water pipes they share with the woman below them vibrate so badly they
can't sleep through her early morning baths....

So the Smiths called their son, Sheldon, a
partner in the Holland and Hart law firm. He sent a letter, threatening
Peterson that her "intransigence ... and tortuous conduct have resulted
in incredible sleep deprivation for Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Your obstinacy
has ruled the day. That will now cease."

He then ordered Peterson to stop running water in her bathtub before 8 a.m....The Smiths sued Peterson just before Christmas, citing the "reckless and negligent use of her bathtub."

Unbelievable.

7 Comments

  1. Dave:

    Unbelievable?

    Not really.

    These are lawyers after all.

  2. TC:

    First off the attorney, the dear son should be disbared, secondly any judge accepting this case should be flogged, disbared and oh gawd.......

    If these imbicillic asswipes desire to sue somebody they should start with the builder of the project. Then progress all the way to the guy that made pipe itself! And for gawd sake don't miss the guy that grew the tree the 2x4's were cut from either!

    I think the elder smiths need to receieve a phone call from guido. With an offer they CAN'T refuse.

    sincerely Tony S.

  3. Matt:

    Contacting building maintenance about pipes that rattle that loudly when a neighbor bathes is a reasonable course. Suing the neighbor is both overreaction _and_ incorrect targeting. Double-penalty!

  4. Mo:

    Oh, great. I hope my neighbors don't get wind of this. I do warm up my van at 4:30 a.m. to deliver papers ... and the bathroom light (which is turned on briefly just prior to that hour) does shine on the same side of the house as their bedrooms ...

    Earplugs: $2.00.
    Common sense: Priceless.

  5. suehappy:

    Dang, I think I will sue that redneck jerk who has a bumper sticker "Honk if you have bitch-slapped an environmentalist" placed prominently alon with his NRA and protect the troops stickers on his gas-guzzling truck. Why? Because it offends my sensibilities and condones a form of violence. If people can sue someone for taking baths real early, then there is recourse to sue for just about anything.

    lol

  6. Bella Bathrooms:

    Should they not have come to a mutual agreement and had the rattling pipes fixed securely. This sounds like the neighbours from hell.

  7. JC:

    So did they not feel that this repair work should have been carried out in their bathroom Cannot believe that they would not have the decency to sort this problem out. Why did they not solve the problem out by ordering a new Bathroom Suites and put a stop to having to go through the courts??? Strange people