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Maryland Appellate Court: Condemnation Jury Trials are the Status Quo
Earlier this year, the Maryland Court of Special Appeals reviewed a lower court’s decision that prevented a self-represented property owner from having her valuation case heard by a jury. The primary issue on appeal was whether it was legally correct for the lower court to hold the condemnation trial without a jury. The full decision... Read More
Charitable Property Tax Exemption Upheld by Tax Court Despite Zoning Violations
On March 24, 2022, the Tax Court of New Jersey rendered a twenty-five (25) page opinion in Life With Joy, Inc., v. Township of Green (hereafter “Life With Joy”) where the court evaluated whether the subject property was qualified for a charitable exemption to its requirement to pay local property tax. Here, the Hon. Vito... Read More
Taxpayers and Assessors: Chapter 91 Requests MUST Be Sent By Regular AND Certified Mail
A recent tax court opinion by Judge Cimino, J.T.C. clarifies whether the service of a tax assessor’s request for income and expense information (“Chapter 91”) by certified mail only was sufficient to satisfy N.J.S.A. 54:4-34. In short, the answer is no. In this matter, on September 15, 2020, the City of Brigantine’s (“City”) Tax Assessor,... Read More
Regulatory Taking Affirmed by Texas Court of Appeals
On August 1, 2022, the Fifth District Court of Appeals in Dallas, Texas affirmed a $33 million dollar jury verdict in favor of a property owner on a regulatory taking claim! Dallas v. Trinity East Energy (2022-8-1 Trinity East Energy). In short, the City of Dallas and Trinity East had entered into a Lease Agreement... Read More
File a Property Tax Appeal: Costs, Exceptions, and Tips
Filing a property tax appeal can seem daunting, especially when you’re unsure about the costs involved. While many assume that filing an appeal will always incur expenses, there are situations where fees can be waived. Understanding the nuances can help you navigate the process more effectively. Here’s what you need to know about how to... Read More
The Deed is Done: Bruce’s Beach Officially Returned to Family’s Descendants Almost a Century After Pretextual Condemnation
In November 2021, we blogged about a story where California’s Governor, Gavin Newsom, signed a law authorizing Los Angeles County to return a beach property taken by eminent domain back to descendants of the original property owners. That blog can be found here. Fast forward to mid-July 2022, an oceanfront ceremony officially marked the first... Read More
Morristown To Undergo Property Tax Revaluation
The Town of Morristown recently confirmed that it will be undertaking a municipal-wide revaluation of all properties in the Town, for the first time since a 2004 revaluation was performed. A revaluation program involves the mass appraisal and reassessment of all real property in a taxing district and is performed by an outside professional appraisal... Read More
New Tax Court Rules Proposed
On July 15, 2022, the New Jersey Supreme Court issued a Notice to the Bar which proposed changes to the New Jersey Court rules which would address Appellate Division opinions which are published in the New Jersey Tax Reports. The proposed changes are open to comments through August 15, 2022. The Notice to the Bar... Read More
Denial of SCOTUS Review: Open Door for More Takings Under Kelo?
Our blog often focuses on Court action that shapes the law surrounding the substantial power of eminent domain. However, in some instances, Court inaction may lead to detrimental consequences for property owners when faced with a governmental taking. One notable example of Court inaction that is worth discussing is the case of Eychaner v. City... Read More
Do Me a Favor, Open The Door, and Let ‘Em In!
“Someone’s knockin’ at the door Somebody’s ringin’ the bell Someone’s knockin’ at the door Somebody’s ringin’ the bell Do me a favor Open the door and let ’em in” Paul McCartney, 1976 A recent opinion by the Tax Court of New Jersey reminded us of the Wings classic “Let Em In”, written by Paul McCartney... Read More
