HE JUST WANTS TO PLAY HIS DRUMS

The Toledo, Ohio, municipal code prohibits any unnecessary, excessive, or offensive noise, including musical instruments, particularly between 9pm and 7am.

Before buying his drums, Patrick Chaney visited all of his immediate neighbors and got their assurances that his playing the drums would not upset them. Chaney has been playing his drums during the day, but had more than a dozen police visits evidently due to complaints from a neighbor located behind his garage.

Chaney was arrested and charged with a fourth-degree misdemeanor for disorderly conduct. He also faces two minor misdemeanors for excessive and unnecessary noise and playing an instrument disturbing to his neighbors. He entered pleas of not guilty and the case is pending.

In this example of neighbor to neighbor dispute, consider the public costs: 12 or more police visits, court filings, and attorneys. My guess, so far it’s somewhere between $5,000 to $10,000. Compare that to the cost of community mediation service, which is typically free or modest.

Fortunately, the assigned judge has referred the case to mediation, but the parties involved could have sought mediation at the first drum roll.