Chris Pine Tree Dispute With Neighbor Is 100% Real
Actor Chris Pine has just been ordered by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge to make an appearance for a deposition that stems from a civil suit filed against him by a neighbor. The neighbor, Helen Yu, alleges that Chris Pine planted a series of trees whose root structure has invaded her lawn and caused her to lose the enjoyment of her property. The ruling was handed down by the judge on October 8 and will force Pine to appear at the deposition on October 25 with the documents that Yu previously requested.
Invasive Roots Are To Blame
The trees that Chris Pine allegedly planted in his own yard are Ficus Benjamina, a tree whose root systems are “extremely invasive,” the suit against him states. The roots have grown across Pine’s property lawn and spread throughout Yu’s, causing significant damage. Yu’s suit maintains that these trees were planted near the boundary line between the two homes.
A Growing Issue
Yu’s suit spells out multiple counts of damage that Chris Pine’s trees have caused. This includes cracking walls, damage to the pool and pool deck, plumbing issues, and more. Yu’s attorneys have stated that this has created an “unreasonably unsafe condition” and interfered with “Plaintiff’s use and enjoyment of the Yu property.”
Chris Pine is also being accused by Yu of dodging a deposition over the tree issues. Yu’s attorneys filed a motion on October 7 where they state that Yu has tried unsuccessfully to depose the actor since January 2023 and that he stood them up for a scheduled deposition on October 2.
Pine Is Fighting Back
The Star Trek actor might be well avoiding a deposition with Yu’s attorneys, but Chris Pine hasn’t just sat on his hands throughout the civil legal ordeal. Pine filed his own suit against his next-door neighbor not long after the tree saga between the two began. Pine’s countersuit alleges that sometime before Pine bought the property in 2010, Yu installed a fence that was “misplaced by approximately eight to ten feet” inside Pine’s yard.
The Back And Forth Is Still Going
Chris Pine’s lead attorney fired off a response to Yu’s October 7 filing, citing conflicting scheduling has made it necessary to postpone depositions for the tree lawsuit. Attorney Thomas Brown had a lengthy trial in San Diego and his “limited availability” made it impossible for him to attend. Why other legal representatives from Brown’s office could not fill in was not disclosed.
Yu’s attorneys believe that the Star Trek actor’s actions surrounding the attempted depositions are signaling his refusal to cooperate. According to their filing, Chris Pine’s failure to appear for depositions are halting the discovery process and accuse the star of “unacceptable” behavior.
Going To Court
Whether or not Yu will succeed in her lawsuit against Chris Pine will be determined by a judge at a later date, unless the two neighbors opt to settle the tree case out of court. As this case hasn’t seen the defendant deposed yet, it could well be some time in 2025 before the case comes to any sort of conclusion.
Source: People
