Court Yanks Hanks' Case Against Builder

Idaho judge bars further arbitration claims from couple, who are still seething over 2002 construction job

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have been ordered to quit complaining.

An Idaho court has barred the couple from continuing to seek arbitration against the contractor that built their Sun Valley abode, ruling Thursday that a 2004 settlement that went in the contractor's favor should have been the last word on the issue.

Storey Construction Inc. was awarded $1.85 million through arbitration in 2004 after Hanks and Wilson cited multiple problems with the residence built for them in 2002.

The actors and Sun Valley Trust, which technically owns the deed to the home, went after the contractor again in November, maintaining that there were "design deficiencies, errors and omissions" in their house and guest cottages and seeking $2.5 million in compensation and damages.

Storey countersued for abuse of process in December, contending that Hanks and Wilson's recent legal action was "motivated by revenge" that they didn't win their case way back when.

But Blaine County 5th District Court Judge Robert J. Elgee ruled last week that the matter was settled in 2004—and that's that.

"What that means is there isn't going to be any trial, there isn't going to be any claim against Storey, it's over," Miles Stanislaw, an attorney for Storey, told the Idaho Mountain Express. "The judge essentially ruled that they had their chance in the prior arbitration. So unlike the movies where you get to do it over again, in Blaine County you don't get a do over if you don't like the results the first time around."

But Hanks didn't get to where he is by taking no for an answer.

"Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson intend to appeal the judge's decision," the actor's rep, Leslie Dart, said in a statement Monday. "This is not a petty dispute where Tom and Rita are trying to squeeze money out of a small, local contractor. There are serious design and construction problems that should never have happened, but did, and now need to be fixed."

In March, Elgee also denied motions from Hanks' camp to keep their court files sealed and to dismiss Storey's countersuit.