Chris Pine wants to put the trespassing lawsuit behind him

Chris Pine is almost free from the legal drama with his neighbor when the couple finally comes to an agreement.

The “Poolman” director recently settled his differences with his former feuding partner Helen Yu. The latter sued him in 2023 for trespassing on their property after he had planted numerous Ficus Benjamina trees.

The trees, known to have invasive root systems, caused severe damage to his neighbor's property. Helen Yu not only sued Chris Pine, but also desperately tried to have him deposed and attend the trial in person.

According to new reports, Pine and Yu announced their lawsuit ahead of their scheduled hearing on November 18th. They told the judge presiding over the case that they had “fundamentally resolved this matter.”

However, the duo must work out a settlement agreement and submit it to the court before the case is officially closed. The result is excellent news for Pine, who has been at odds with Yu for over a year since she filed her trespassing lawsuit.

The angry neighbor made no secret of her displeasure with Pine for his invasive trees in her suit. Part of their reasoning, according to In Touch:

“By action or omission, [Chris has] inappropriately, negligently or intentionally caused or permitted the root systems of [his trees] which were planted on the boundary line between the properties and invade them [Helen’s home].”

Yu's Los Angeles home is adjacent to Pine's three-bedroom, three-bathroom, 2,205-square-foot home. Given the proximity between their properties, the actor's Ficus Benjamina trees reportedly caused:

“Significant and ongoing damage [Helen’s home]including cracks in the walls and significant damage to the plumbing and pipes, pool, pool deck and other areas in or around it [Helen’s home].”

Yu argued that the trees' encroachment on her home created an unsafe environment and interfered with her use of the property. So she sued Pine for unspecified damages, but he fought back with his own lawsuit.

Pine denied all allegations of wrongdoing and claimed the real intruder was Yu. He argued that she had erected a fence on his side of the property and demanded that she tear it down. However, his neighbor claimed that she would have a harder time than him if she removed the fence.

The drama between Yu and Pine escalated weeks before their Nov. 18 hearing, according to The Blast. The actor's neighbor pleaded with the court to order him and his co-defendant Bradley Lyon to appear in person at the hearing.

Yu's resignation announcement came weeks after she emerged victorious in her efforts to unseat Pine. A Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled in her favor and ordered the Hollywood veteran to submit a sworn statement within 20 days.

Pine had until Oct. 25 and could appear virtually if he complied with the judge's request. He was allowed to appear via Zoom as long as he provided all of the documents Yu requested – a dispute she has dragged on since January 2023.

In her previous arguments, Yu claimed she had been trying to get Pine's removal since 2023, but he evaded her subpoenas four times. In July, her application was rejected due to his schedule as the actor was filming a film and would be on vacation until October.

Based on the information provided, Yu set another date for testimony in October. However, Pine had other reasons to avoid this, forcing his neighbor to seek help from the court. Part of their plea read:

“Either [Chris] doesn’t want to be deposed, or his lawyer is trying to circumvent the court’s decision.”

Yu also criticized Pine for evading the statement, stressing that his stance was “unacceptable.” On the other hand, the TV personality's lawyer claimed that he had no reason to avoid deposition, but that they had failed to negotiate the dates with his disgruntled neighbor.

Yu and Pine's problems took a different turn in September when the neighbor accused him of using intrigue to avoid their trial. She refused to accept his request for a continuance, pointing out that he had been granted several postponements of the hearing since 2023.

“The defendant’s request to continue the trial date is not well received and should be rejected. It is just a ploy to avoid the process and not address the issue that necessitated the filing of this case,” she argued.

Yu explained that her case was originally scheduled to begin in December 2023, but was continued until April 2024 at Pine's request. The trial was again postponed to August 5, 2024, before the third postponement to November 18, 2024.

Will Chris Pine and his neighbor be able to complete their settlement agreement without further problems?