Overview

• A six to seven-meter-high bamboo hedge in Hessen has led to a protracted legal dispute between neighbors, reaching Germany's highest civil court.
• The plaintiff demands the hedge be reduced to three meters, citing its encroachment on his property and its overwhelming visual impact.
• The Bundesgerichtshof is examining whether the bamboo qualifies as a hedge under Hessian neighbor law, which grants hedges specific legal privileges.
• The court has expressed doubts about whether the hedge complies with the required 0.75-meter boundary distance, which could impact the case's outcome.
• If boundary violations are confirmed, the case may be remanded to lower courts for further evidence collection, potentially granting the plaintiff the right to demand a reduction.