Judge Rules That Madonna Can’t Justify Her Hedge : Lawsuits: The pop star must cut back shrubbery and a pine tree at her Hollywood Hills home, ending a two-year battle with neighbor.

When you live in a neighborhood where high walls, stately trees and imposing hedgerows can block a neighbor’s million-dollar view of the city below, the question is: How tall is too tall?

Now, in a posh section of the Hollywood Hills where rock star Madonna and neighbor Donald J. Robinson have been squabbling over the height of trees and bushes surrounding the singer’s home, comes the answer from Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Sally Disco: Eight feet for the driveway hedge. At the roof line for the offending pine tree.

In a written ruling released Thursday, Disco ordered Madonna to trim her hedges and the tree--and pay real estate broker Robinson’s attorneys’ fees too.

So ended a two-year legal dispute that wound up in court last week, as Robinson sought to prevent the pop diva from blocking his panoramic view with her protective landscaping.

“I feel very pleased,” Robinson said after Disco’s ruling was made public. “We all have these magnificent views, and whatever it takes to protect, I will do.”

Robinson sued Madonna, whose last name is Ciccone, in March contending that she had failed to comply with a written agreement about the trimming and height of the pine tree, driveway hedges and other landscaping on her property on Oriole Way.

By failing to control her shrubbery, Robinson contended, she had reduced the value of his $3.5-million property, on the hillside above Madonna’s, by $1 million.

The singer countersued, accusing Robinson of trespassing and making “abusive and derogatory statements.” Her attorney charged that the neighbor “cut a hole” in the hedges separating the two properties to “stare at her.”

Disco rejected Madonna’s charges of trespassing or “peeking,” but agreed with the singer that six cypress trees interfering with Robinson’s view had already been removed.

“Judgment is to be entered in favor of the plaintiff and against defendant to trim the acacia hedge at the bottom of the driveway . . .,” Disco said, “not in excess of eight feet at any time . . . and to trim the pine tree to the south of the pool. . . .”

Asked if an appeal was contemplated, Madonna’s attorney, Meghan Serwin, said: “I don’t know at this time.”

At Madonna’s home, the bottom of the driveway was sealed by an electrically controlled iron gate. Over an intercom system, an unidentified woman said there would be “no comment.”