Rather than pick his battles, Pat Meyering will fight them all—even if it means taking a woman to court over her toy poodle. From the dais, the Sunnyvale councilman has railed against his elected colleagues, driven away city staff and opposed virtually every single issue that’s come up for a vote. A citizen-led recall effort fell short of enough signatures to oust him. A formal censure from the city and workshops convened to deal with his combative behavior have been laughably impotent. So it remains to be seen whether losing a recent lawsuit will get him to lay off his next-door neighbors. Last month, Meyering sued Maria Martinez in small claims court, demanding $10,000 in damages because her dog yaps too much. In court, he said the poodle’s barking sounds like “sheet metal being ripped apart.” In court, Meyering accused Martinez of being part of a political conspiracy to take him down. While Martinez's advocate Nancy Tivol happened to volunteer in his recall effort, she said that had nothing to do with the small claims case. Meyering, an attorney by trade who plans to run for re-election in 2016, came to court with a noise meter and a “diary” of all the times he claimed the dog’s prolonged high-pitched barking and howling prevented him from making a phone call anywhere in his three-bedroom home. A judge dismissed the case with prejudice. This wasn’t the first time he’s taken a neighbor to court, though. Meyering has also sued his former employer, the Foothill-DeAnza Community College District. A year and a day after being sworn in to the Sunnyvale council in 2011, he sued the city in a trip and fall lawsuit that eventually got dismissed. He has also sued a former client and a printing company hired during his council campaign. Critics have compared him to Heath Ledger’s Joker in the Dark Knight for wanting to watch the world burn. Peter Cirigliano, who unsuccessfully lobbied for Meyering’s ouster last year, now likens him to Donald Trump: all bluster and bellow, and fighting for the sake of fighting.
The Fly
Sunnyvale Councilman Sues Neighbor Over Toy Poodle
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Pat Meyering took his next-door neighbor to court, claiming she owed him $10,000 because of her dog's barking.
People like this need to be removed of office. We need people that don’t waist their time with nonsense to support our communities.
You can thank Safeway for helping this guy stay in office, since they will aggressively sue any customer who attempts to ask another customer to engage in a political converstion that could lead to a signature for a recall petition.
You can only shop while muzzeled.
Anyone who shops there is supporting the vexed councilman.
we put him there now we have to put him out , easy
we are in USA .
nothing can Safeway do to protect this nasty guy
Sounds like he has a house with really terrible construction quality to go with a mind that has really terrible construction quality. I hope he does NOT get reelected and that his lawsuit against the citizens for not reelecting him is dismissed with prejudice. Another waste of space in an elected position we do not need.
Hopefully the people of Sunnyvale are smart enough to not re-elect this A-hole in 2016. He is wasting your tax dollars, and not representing your interests if he is too busy suing the world.
Agree!!
Seems to me that whomever Mr. Meyering sues next should invoke the vexatious litigant statute, Code of Civil Procedure section 391 et. seq.
She should sick her little yapper on him.
Look, I am a Toy Poodle. I think Ms. Martinez’s Poodle sounds beautiful! “Sheet metal being ripped apart”? Nah, that’s the yearning for Ole Mugsy (that’s me).
I’ll walk the precinct to ensure that Growler Mayering gets booted next year.
When a Poodle calls you a Loser, it’s time buddy. Just sayin’
Wow !!! And he always say that “he is the only honest councilman in Sunnyvale ”
And tried to take $10,000 from his neighbor . Loser if you want money work
Wow!!! He always say that “he is the honest councilman in Sunnyvale” ” he is working for Sunnyvale’s residents ” ja,ja,ja You are upset because isn’t easy take money from the city as you though .
And he tried to take $10,000 from his neighbor . Loser if you want money work.
DPS fails and refuses to cite noise violation repeat offenders for leaf blowers, moving companies, etc.
If the paid government employees cannot do their jobs, it is up to the individual to seek redress in court.
The quality of life in Sunnyvale has deteriorated, in part, due to excessive noise and congestion..
Do and law enforcement everywhere have infinitely more important issues to address than leaf blowers and movie companies. If you want peace and quiet move to the country.
Robin , you are wrong because your opinion isn’t how the problem happened . Read the article first.
!!!!Our councilman Mr.meyering couldn’t prove his case!!!!
If he was correct why he wasn’t supported by other Neigbors to prove his case. If he was bother for the barking dog why he wanted $10,000 instead of force his neigbor to control her dog by court.other thing
The owner of the dog did pay fees or fines before or after court to anybody. In my opinion this guy is a cranky who call the police for everything and he want the neigbor’s life to be controlled by him just because !!he is a city council !! But thank GOD we still have the law to do justice
Thank you for your urban views which have contributed to the destruction of our quality of life. We live here and pay their salaries with our taxes and ever-increasing fees. Unfortunately. serious crime has increased recently. But our reports precede the influx of new glass cages and condensed housing along Mathilda, It is thoughtless people who believe as you do, that we long term business owners and residents do not deserve our peace and quiet.
Thank you for your thoughts.
Oh yes, bring a Neigbor to the court for $10,000 is helping a lot to have peace .
The peace and good place to live start in your neighborhood if you lose it what are you taking about.
You’re welcome. I have had the great privilege policing for the self-righteous taxpaying masters of the public servant… those who always want it their way they call 911 because they can’t control their children and want me to fix in 10 minutes what they have spent years creating, they call because the neighbors tv is too loud, because the neighbor has done irreparable harm to the callers specimen grade shrub when the shrub has invaded the neighbors yard. Those who want the speeding motorists and stop sign runners ticketed into bankruptcy…oh heaven forbid I should stop the benevolent taxpayer for running that same stop sign or speeding through the neighborhood… then I get a speach about how I should be out catching the “murderers and rapists” terrorizing the City, or maybe wondering why I felt the need to put down my donut to pick on the poor little lady…who pays my salary and is best friends with the chief…and blah blah blah…. Robyn you clearly are the type who has much practice at this type of stuff so on the one hand your very welcome… on the other hand Me and my colleagues thank you for giving us so much to laugh at as we fill our guts with donuts and coffee. Just one thing -it’s an old joke but so appropriate here- you pay your taxes and my salary? YOU OWE ME A RAISE!
I voted for him but No anymore .
He isn’t a profesional . How he could bring the neighbor to court and ask for $ 10,000
I don’t believe in his good intentions with the city.
If I where him I’d prefer to move to a retired elders neighborhood instead of harassment and messing up the neighbor’ kids summer vacation by demanding their mom. He is a certified nut
I had a next door neighbor, whose little dog, would yelp in the. Middle of the night. The other neighbors called and reported her a number of times. She was cited, with disturbing the peace. Dog hated cats.
They gave her an untimatum! There after she kept that dog in side, at night. She was fined. Nights are for sleeping. How much is your sleep worth?
This guy is like Trump! Tells it like it is, his way!. I like Trump! He will never be a President, but he is the only man on the planet, that can destroy the GOP! YOU GO. TRUMP! He has a minus 50% polling In the Hispanic community.
The Republican Politicians will become extinct, just like their logo. Before the last Elephant, is shipped to China, for it’s ivory.
My father (Ron Swegles) Was a former Mayor and Councilman For 8 years god rest his soul right now. He would be turning over in his grave at this atrocity that this member of Council is doing. I think Jim Grifiith and most of the rest are doing a great job. This trouble seeker is holding them back. I watch most of the Council meeting , he dissents on almost all the Councils voting. He needs to go, and try to sue anyone he wants. He will always lose, because he is a liar and a knucklehead (sorry I try not to call people names like that, but I can’t put it any better than that !)
Agree
Bill Cilinton, was such a man, only he did his thing, with discreation.
We had lots of money in the world, He took Blow $0bs, out of the closet, in America , Thank You Monica!
Which tells us a lot about our next President, Hillery!
Those Elephants. that at running down our women, are about tp become relics of the past.
A shame that Agnews State Hospital was closed, it would have been a convenient and less stressful residence for this nut.