Leonardo
DiCaprio Sues Dozens of Builders
2/9/08
Leonardo DiCaprio is suing dozens of building contractors in relation
to a row over the construction of a basketball court which the actor's neighbors
claim damaged their property.
The Titanic star and his cousin Robert Hrtica, from whom DiCaprio rents
the Hollywood Hills home, filed legal papers in Los Angeles Superior Court
on 30 January (08).
The pair allege contractors and landscapers who built the basketball
court in 2004, and another contractor who worked on a retaining wall for neighbors
Ronald and Joan Linclau, should be held liable for any damage to the
Linclaus' property.
DiCaprio and Hrtica also claim the Linclaus' own lawsuit, which was
filed in May 2007 and claims the basketball court damaged their property,
is meritless.
DiCaprio's legal documents state: "Seeking a scapegoat for the
potential problems that they themselves created and the creation of a
backyard for themselves free of charge, (the Linclaus) filed this lawsuit
in an apparent attempt to extort the cost of construction of a new
retaining wall."
Last month (Jan08), a judge ruled the Linclaus need to amend their
lawsuit as it doesn't prove DiCaprio did anything wrong, or it will be
thrown out of court.