Tarantino v Ball

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    M A RT IN D . S IN G ER (BA R N O . 78166)ALLISON S. H A RT (BA R N O . 190409)LAVELY & S INGERP RO FE SS IO N AL C O RP OR A TIO N2049 C en tu ry Park E ast, Su ite 2400L os A n ge le s, C a liforn ia 9 00 67 ~2 90 6T e le ph on e: ( 31 0 ) 5 56 -3 50 1Facsimile : OIO} 556-361~

    M A R i0(:~1At torneys fo r PlaintiffsM A R K FR I ED MA N , a s T ru ste e of the W ils on T rost da te d 7/29/1996an d Q UE N TlN T A RA N T IN O

    SUPER IO R C OURT O F TH E STA TE O F CA L lFO R N IAFO R TH E C O UN TY O F LO S A N G ELES - C EN TRA L D ISTR lC T

    C A SE N O . eC457043MARK FR I ED MA N , Trustee of the )W ilson T rust D ated 7/29/1996; QUEN TIN .)T A R A N T I N O . a n individu al. ))))))))))))

    C O M PLA IN T FO R IN JUN C T IO N A N DABATEMENT OF NUISANCEPlaintiffs Iv .

    A LA N B ALL , an individual; an d PETERMACD ISS I , an i nd iv id ua l; a n d DOES 1t hr ou gh 1 0 , i nc lu s iv e.Defendants.

    P la in tiffs M a rk F riedm an , T ru stee of the W ilson T ru st Dated 7129/1996 a nd Q ue ntinTa ran t ino (col lec t ive ly "Plaintiffs") a lle ge a s f ollow s:

    ~~~~~& 1 ~ r r : ~ ~.....rti .......""WH A T TH IS C A SE IS A BO UT ~ ~ $: : 2 ~('") t") C " : I n 'C."'. - ,..,~::J;>~'. ~~ .1 . P la in tiff Quen tin T a ran tino is an A cademy Award winnU.SaeetiW~e~ it d. ~~~R~director, be st known for having w ritten and directed such film s as Pulp Fic t iOn (for w l i f c f i t i @nc..I .... ..,tj -f,lf;jth e A c ad emy Award fo r b es t original screenplay), R es er vo ir D o gs , K ill B ill V ol.iIi, Killiif!. ~l.. . . ~ t R2, and Inglourious Basterds, among numerous others. Another writer, Johann Wolfidg ;on0-. . . . .G oethe , once sa id: "H e is the happie st, be he k ing or peasan t, who finds peace in ms~ome:'

    1 COMPLAINT

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    1 P lain tiffs bring this action bec au s e De fe ndan ts Alan B all and P eter M acdissi have robbedM r.2 T aran tin o of the ability to fin d p ea ce in h is h om e .3 2 . D efendants, who live imm ediately below the residence of M r. T aran tino, have4 in sta lled an exotic bird m en agerie on their property . O n a daily basis , D e fe nd an ts ' M a c aw s! large5 tropical birds known for their loud squawks and screams, are placed in an outdoor aviary where6 they emi t b lood-cu rdl ing screams a t ra nd om in te rve ls fo r se ve n (7) to eight (8) hours each day.7 N early eve ry day , M r. Taran t i~() and o th er s in h is home a re subjected to th e M a ca ws' ob no xiou s8 p te r adac ty l- li k e s c re ams , which are not only s ta rtlin g, bu t have also seriously disru pte d M r.9 T arantino's ability to work as a writer in hi s hom e. In short. th e Macaws a re a n uisan ce an d have

    10 greatly interfered with Mr. Tarant ino 's q uie t u se and e njoy me nt of his hom e.11 3. Ironically I D efen dan t A lan B all is also a n A cade my A w ard w in nin g scre en write r12 and M r. T aran tino 's adjacen t neighbor w bo has th e Macaws on his property . H owever, since he1 3 a nd his pa rtn er? D efe nda nt P ete r M a cdiss i k now tha t the ir birds is su e blood-curdling. pre-historic14 sounding screams, they d o n ot m ain ta in the M a ca ws in the ir re siden ce , but place them in the15 ou tdoor avia ry . T hough one m ight assum e tha t, a s a fe llow w rite r, M r. B all w ou ld understand16 and respect a writer's n ee d fo r peace and q uie t w hile he is w ork ing, tha t a ssum ption w ou ld be1 7 wron g. D espite P la in tiffs ' e fforts to am icably resolve this m atter, D efen dan ts have don e little to18 e lim in a te ( he Mac aws Idaily cacophony. Unwilling to tolerate t h is nu i s ance any l onge r, P l ai n ti ff s19 were left with n o a lte rn ative b ut to com m en ce this a ction .2 D2 12 2

    THE PARTIES4. Plaintiff Mark f r i edman is the Trustee of the Wilson Trust Dated 7/2911996

    23 ("T rust"). T rust is now and at all times herein men tioned has been the legaJ owner of record of24 a pa rcel of rea l prope rty a nd s in gle fa mily re side nce locate d in th e Ci ty of L os A ngeles. S tate of25 California e~Tarantino~s Proper ty") .2 6 5. P laintiff Quentin T arantino ("T arantinQ") is, and at all times relevant hereto has27 been , an individu al re s id in g in the C oun ty of L os A nge les , S ta te of C aliforn ia . T aran tin o is now28 and a t a ll tim es he re in men tion ed has been a resident o f T a ra ntin o's P ro pe rty .

    2 CO MPLA I N T

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    1 6 . P lain tiffs are infonned and believe and based thereon allege that D efendant A Ian

    2 Ball ("Bali") is, and at all times relevant hereto has been , an individual residing in the C ounty of3 Los A ngeles. S ta te of C aliforn ia . P la in tiffs are further informed and believe an d based thereon4 allege tha t B a ll is n ow and at all times herein mentioned has been a legal owner and residen t of5 a p arce l of real prope rty a nd sin gle fa mily re side nce loca te d in the City of L os A ngeles, S ta te of6 C aliforn ia w hich is situ ated adjacen t to Tarantino 's Property ( '" 'D e fe n da n ts ' P r op er ty ") .7 1. P la in tiffs a re in fo rm e d a nd b elie ve and b a s e d [he re on a lle ge tha t D e fe nd an t P ete r8 M acdiss i ("M acdiss i") is ; and a t a ll tim es relevant he re to ha s be en , a n in dividu al res idin g in (h e9 C ou nty o f Los Angele s, State of Ca l if or n ia . P l ai nt if fs a re fu rth er in fo rm ed and be lie ve a nd ba se d

    10 thereon allege tha t M acdissi is n ow and at a ll tim es here in m en tioned has been a legal own er an d11 r es id en t o f D e fe n da n ts ' Property.1 2 P la in tiffs a re ign oran t of th e tru e n am es an d capacities of the D efen dan ts su ed8 .13 herein as Does 1 through 10 , inclusive, and therefore, sue said D efendants by such fictit ious14 names. Plaintiffs will a men d this C om plain t to a llege the tru e n am es an d capacities o f su ch1 5 fictitiou sly n am ed D efe ndan ts w he n the sam e ha ve bee n a sce rta in ed. Plaintiffs a re in form ed a nd1 6 believe and. based thereon allege tha t each of the fictitiou sly nam ed D efendan ts is responsible in17 som e m anner for the occu rren ces, acts and om is sio n s a lle g ed h er ei n and t hat P l a in t if ff damages1 8 w ere . prox im ate ly caused by the ir con du ct. F or con ve nie nce , e ach reference to a n am ed D e fe nda nt19 herein s ha ll a ls o refer to the D oe Defendants and e ach of the m.2 021 JUR ISD IC TIO N A ND V EN UE2 2 Ju risdiction an d ven ue are proper in this C ou rt because (a) T aran tino's P roperty is9.23 ~ituatedin the C oun ty of L os A nge les . S ta te of C aliforn ia and within this judicial d is tr ic t; ( b)24 D efe ndan ts re side a t D efe nda nts ' P rope rty . w hich is a lso situ ate d in this ju dicia l dis tr ict; a nd {c)2S the even ts giving rise to the cause of a ction a lle ge d he re in occu rre d on Defendants ' Property and5'\ 26 are adve rs ely a ffe ctin g T ara ntin o's P rope rty .I-!! 27 I IIH -28 11/

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    FIR ST C AUSE O F A C TIO N FO R A B A TEM EN T O F NU1SAN~E(By a ll P la in tiffs a ga in st a ll D e fe nd an ts )

    3 10 . P lain tiffs repeat. re alle ge a nd in corpora te he re in by re feren ce (he a llegation s set4 forth in P ara gr aphs 1 thr ou gh 9 . in clu siv e, of this C ompla in t5 11 . C ommencing in or abou t le re 2 00 9. on a daily ba sis , T ara ntin o be ga n he arin g e ar-6 splitting sbrless an d scream s em anating from D efen dants ' P roperty . P lain tiffs determ ined that the7 source of the noise was De fe n da n ts ' e xo tic birds. Specifically, Plaintiffs are informed and bel leve8 an d based thereon allege ,ha t D efen dan ts ' exotic birds are M a caw s. a la rge varie ty of w ild parrot9 k no wn for its i nt ole r ab ly loud screech and fu r behaving poorly in c ap ti vi ty .

    10 12. ByFebrua ry 2010, the n oise from the exotic birds became unbearable and Plaintiffs1 1 com pla in ed to D efe ndan ts . D efe ndan ts in form ed P lain tiffs that t h e y w ould "take ca re of it" and12 look into building an alleged soundproofed o utdo or stru ctu re for the b ird s in order to a ttem pt to13 reduce the noise ,1 4 13. B y M ay 2010 , D efendan ts had done nothing to aba te the noise from the exotic15 birds. Accordingly. P la in tiffs on ce a ga in com pla in ed to Defendan t s a bou t the e xce ss ive n oise16 from the birds . D efendan ts sta ted tha t they would be b uild in g a soundproofed outdoor aviary fo r17 the birds in order to try to redu ce the n oise an d that m e birds w ou ld be k ept in doo rs "24 17 ' u ntil18 the stru ctu re w as bu H t.19 14, A lthough the noise level from the exotic birds improved t empora r il y f ol low ing20 P la in tiffs ' M ay 2 01 0 comp la in t t o D e fe n da n ts , by Ju ne 20 10 , D e fe nda nts be ga n le avin g the exotic21 birds ou tdoors for severa l hou rs per day and P la in tiffs Once aga in w ere su bjected to the da ily22 squawking and shriek ing from the birds. C on se qu en tly , P la in tiffs e nga ged a n a ttorn ey w ho s en t23 a le ga l dem an d that D efen da nts im me diately abate the n uisa nce cre ated by the e xotic b ird n ois e,24 and for a pe riod of time m e r e a f t e r , Defendants kept the birds indoors w hile the built what t h e y25 claim ed w ould be a soundproof outdoor aviary fo r t he b ir ds .26 15. Ultimately, D efendan ts did construct an o u t d o o r s tru ctu re to hou se the e xotic birds27 and in or abou t September 201 D , Defendants began lea vin g the birds there for s eve ra l hou rs e ach2 8 d a y w here the y sq uaw k loudly a t irre gu la r in te rva ls throu ghou t the day. De s pi te D e fe n da n ts '

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    9 17 . U nless pre lim in ar ily an d pen nan en tly en join ed an d res t ra ined by O rder of this

    1 represen tation s that the avia ry wou ld be sou ndproofed so as to elim inate the n oise from the exotic2 b ird s, th e noise is in fact Worse when the birds are in the ou tdoor avia ry and despite Plaintif{st3 complaints , D efendan ts have done virtu ally nothin g to redu ce the n oise.4 16 . T he noise crea ted by th e exot ic b irds o n D e fe nd an ts ' P ro pe rty co ns titu te s a n u is an ce5 within t h e meaning of California Civil C ode section 3479. in that the e xotic b irds ' s qu aw kin g,6 which occurs daily an d contin ues over a span of seven (7) to e ight (8) hou rs each day . i s i n ju r ious7 to Taran tino's health and offensive to his senses such that it obstructs Tarant ino's free use of th e8 T aran tin o P roperty an d in te rfe res with hi s comfor tab le enjoyment o f li fe .

    10 C ourt, nu isance crea ted excessive noise from the parrots' r ele ntle ss s qu awk in g. o n De fe nda nts !11 P roperty will con tinue, in violation of P la in ti ff s' r ig ht s. Unle ss D e fe nda nts a re p re lim in ar ily and1 2 perm anen tly en join ed an d restrain ed by O rder of this C ou rt, it w ill be n eces sa ry for P la in tiffs to13 com me nce s ucce ss ive a ction s a ga in st D efendan ts to re lie f from the in te rfe rence w ith and th e loss14 of the qu ie t u se a nd e njo ym e nt o f th e T a ra ntin o Property , tbu s re qu irin g a multiplicity o f s ui ts ,15 and P la in tiffs will be forced to endu re th e nu i sance .Hi 18. Unless Defendants are preliminarily and permanently enjoined and restrained by17 Order of this C ourt from contin uin g their course of condu ct P la in tiffs will suffer injury to the18 usefulness a n a e c o n o m ic v a l u e of t h e Taran t ino P ro pe rty , w hich will b e d im in is he d a nd P la in tiffs19 will be deprived of the com fortable u se and en joym en t of the prope rty .20 19. By reason of the foregoing. P laintiffs are entitled to preliminary and permanent21 in junctive relief pursuant to C alifornia Code of C ivil P rocedure section 731 , compelling22 D efendan ts to abate the nuisance crea ted by the ex ce ssive n oise from the parrots. a nd prohibitin g23 them from the m from c on tin uin g to perpe tua te sa id nui sance . P la in tiffs ha ve n o other p la in . s pe ed y24 or adequ ate rem edy at law, an d in ju nctive relief is expressly authori~ed by C alifornia C ode of2S C ivil P rocedu re section 731 . A bsen t gran ting in junctive re lief of the type and for the pu rpose26 specified herein, P la in tiffs w ill su ffe r irre parable in ju ry w hich cannot adequately be compensated27 by m on eta ry d am ag es .Z8 II/

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    1 W H ER EFO R E , P la in tiffs pray for judgmen taga in s t D efendan ts , and each of them . as2 follows:3 1 . For a p re lim in ar y a nd p ermane nt in ju n ctio n. e njoin ing De fe nd an ts . a nd a n persons4 actin g under, in conce rt w ith , or for them from em itting or a llow ing the em ission of an y noise5 from D efendan ts ' P rope rty su fficien tly lou d to d istu rb P la in tiffs ' com forta ble a nd q uie t u se a nd6' e njo ym e nt o f P la in tiffs ' P ro pe rty ;789

    2 .3,

    F or cos ts of su it in cu rre d he re in ; a ndF or su ch other an d fu rther relief as the C ou rt m ay deem ju st an d appropriate .

    10 DATE; March 10,2011111213141 516

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    L A V E L Y & S IN G ER .P RO FE SS IO N AL C O RP OR A TIO NM ARTIN D . SIN GERA LL ISO N S . H ART

    6COMPLAINT