Metal Foundry Inc.'s complex spews smoke and odors. The site features its own rail system, and trucks enter and exit the complex night and day. Neal and other residents of an adjacent neighborhood can feel the vibrations of the trains and trucks, and suffer other effects from the operations. Neal and others file a suit against Metal Foundry. Why might the court rule in favor of the defendant?

The court might rule in favor of Metal Foundry, or at least decline to enjoin its operations, on the ground that the hardships to be imposed on Metal Foundry and on the community are greater than the hardships suffered by Neal and the other residents of the nearby neighborhood, despite the pollution and noise. The court might deny an injunction if the Metal Foundry plant is the heart of the local economy, for example, and award the residents only damages.