TOM HANKS - HANKS' LEGAL BATTLE GETS GO-AHEAD

HANKS' LEGAL BATTLE GETS GO-AHEAD

TOM HANKS has won the latest round of his legal battle with a construction company he has accused of "shoddy" workmanship.
Hanks and wife Rita Wilson hired contractors Storey Construction to build their Sun Valley, Idaho villa in 2000 but tried to take the firm to a tribunal after discovering faults with the work.
Storey Construction bosses refused to attend the hearing, insisting they had already been to arbitration, with a lower court later ratifying their claim.
But on Wednesday (30Sep09), the Idaho Supreme Court unanimously ruled Hanks can take the dispute to a hearing by an impartial third-party.
And the Hollywood couple hopes the ruling will benefit others in the same situation.
A statement from the pair reads, "We believe the Supreme Court's decision will have an impact far beyond our case, helping homeowners who have been wronged in ways that remain hidden long after their home has been built. Like anyone else in the same position, we simply wanted Storey Construction to reimburse us for what we have spent fixing shoddy and defective construction."
The stars first battled Storey Construction in a disagreement over payment - the firm sought arbitration after alleging the couple failed to settle the bill.