Berkley sues father’s neighbor

Monday, Dec. 6, 1999 | 11:16 a.m.

Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., is in a property dispute over her father's house in Green Valley.

Berkley and her father, George Levine, filed a lawsuit against neighbors Richard and Mary Lynn Palenik in Clark County District Court. The home involves Levine's house, which is half-owned by Berkley -- and the lawsuit was filed by local attorney Fred Berkley, the congresswoman's former husband.

In the lawsuit, Levine alleged that Richard Palenik had repeatedly asked for permission to remove a block wall separating the two properties. Levine said he initially declined but consented after Palenik promised to replace it with a "sturdier, more aesthetically pleasing wall." Levine said he agreed to pay Palenik $2,000 for the work.

Levine claims Palenik removed the wall but replaced it with an "unsightly ... and aesthetically unpleasing" replacement wall. The lawsuit also claimed the new wall moved a power pole from Palenik's property to Levine's property, and that construction resulted in heavy damage to Levine's pool and landscaping.

Levine and Berkley are requesting unspecified monetary damages, as well as a court order forcing Palenik to restore the property to its original condition.

Palenik declined to comment.