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Be Fair or Be Square: Tax Court Denies Township’s Motion to Dismiss
What happens when an unstoppable deadline meets an immovable legal doctrine? A riveting case from the Tax Court of New Jersey, of course! In H N Realty Inc. v. Township of South Brunswick, a property owner missed a critical deadline for answering a request for property information. This ordinarily would’ve prevented an appeal of the... Read More
Why This NJ Woman Was Denied the Surviving Spouse Property Tax Exemption
New Jersey provides one of the most meaningful financial protections available to veterans: a complete property tax exemption for those who are 100% permanently and totally disabled. That exemption can pass to a surviving spouse after the veteran’s death. But what happens if the couple never legally married? That was the central question in Gibbons... Read More
LLC Hit with Increased Assessment After Failing to Appear in Court
An LLC got an unlucky break after failing to defend a reverse tax appeal brought by Jersey City. As a result, its property’s assessment increased nearly 150%. Here’s what happened and what property owners in NJ can learn from this case. Overview RM Holdings owns a property in Jersey City used as a skilled nursing... Read More
Can You Sue a Municipality for Cybersecurity Failures?
A legitimate business transaction turned into a costly nightmare when 45 Legion Drive LLC discovered their property tax payments—totaling more than $550,000—were diverted to cybercriminals. The company has now filed a lawsuit against Cresskill officials, claiming the municipality’s failure to secure its IT systems led to significant financial harm. The Financial Impact of Municipal Cybersecurity... Read More
NJ Tax Court Judge Slashes Megamall’s $3.3 Billion Assessment
Last year when I clerked for the Tax Court of New Jersey, my fellow law clerks and I had the privilege of attending a property inspection for American Dream Mall’s multi-billion dollar tax appeal. The mega-mall recently scored a huge legal victory as Judge Gilmore reduced the assessment by a pretty penny. Let’s take a... Read More
Bostonians Furious Over Alleged Tax Assessment Penalties
Many commercial real estate owners in Boston can be described in one word: gobsmacked. Although they have appealed their property tax assessments, their assessments have soared sky high. This has caught the attention of a highly regarded non-profit which recently uncovered a potential conspiracy, causing many to question whether Bostonians are being secretly penalized for... Read More
NJ Tops List – Has Highest Property Taxes in the Country…Again
New Jersey doesn’t top many lists. For instance, U.S. News & World Report ranks it 49th in fiscal stability, 45th in opportunity, 31st in economy, and 19th overall. New Jersey Rankings | U.S. News Best States. But there is a list where the Garden State is safely at number 1: high property taxes. New Jersey... Read More
Property Owner Entitled to Compensation After Foreclosure Sale
The New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division delivered a landmark decision that protects property owners’ rights to surplus equity after foreclosure sale. In Johnson v. City of East Orange, the court reversed a trial court ruling and affirmed that property owners must receive compensation when municipalities keep proceeds exceeding unpaid taxes. This groundbreaking case demonstrates... Read More
Ohio Group Seeks to Abolish Property Taxes
Beth Blackmarr nearly fainted when she saw that her home’s assessment increased by over 50% from the prior year. That’s when she decided enough is enough and joined a movement to end all property taxes in Ohio. The group, known as Citizens for Property Tax Reform, is a grassroots campaign based in Cuyahoga County. Recently,... Read More
Florida Couple Hit with Reassessment After “Substantial Improvements”
Imagine spending a significant amount of time and money on renovating a home, only to find that the property taxes have not only doubled, not only tripled, but multiplied six times over. Although this may sound like a real estate horror tale, Florida residents Walter and Debbie have experienced this firsthand. The couple’s dream waterfront... Read More
