MORRISTOWN — A teenager's drumming in his family garage during the daytime is not a nuisance to a neighbor, a judge has ruled.

The judge ruled that the neighbor failed to prove that the teen’s playing was disruptive to the neighborhood, according to Joseph Murray, the attorney for plaintiff Joanne Traetto.

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The decision was made Oct. 30, after more than a year of proceedings.

The Morris County judge initially dismissed the lawsuit last year against James and Sandra Palazzo, the teen's parents, ruling that the teenager played during the daytime and did not violate a local noise ordinance. But in May an appellate court ordered the judge to hear a full trial.

Traetto, who lives next door to the Palazzos in Boonton, claimed in her lawsuit that she had to undergo therapy because of the anxiety caused by the drumming of the 15-year-old boy, which took place in a detached garage. Because she works at home, the drums were a constant interruption to Traetto’s day, she claimed.

Traetto submitted a certification from a neighbor who lives 84 feet away, saying the drumming is "so incessant and loud that the drums appear to be beaten by a maniac." At one point, the Palazzos filed a harassment claim against their neighbor.

Murray, Traetto’s attorney, said today that he was not recommending an appeal.

The drumming has not been a problem recently, partly because one of the drums was broken and school hours have limited the time the boy has had to play, Murray said.

Mark Brancato, the lawyer for the Palazzos, said the judge essentially decided that a mere annoyance didn't rise to the level of a legally-defined nuisance. Brancato called the case a "waste of judicial resources."

"You have a right to have peace and quiet - but you also have the right to pursue your hobbies," the lawyer said.

Seth Augenstein can be reached at saugenstein@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SethAugenstein. Find NJ.com on Facebook.