McLaughlin & Stern, LLP Secures Win Against Nassau County For Excessive Tax Map Fee
New York, NY – McLaughlin & Stern, LLP, one of the top law firms in New York, recently secured a unanimous decision defeating Nassau County’s appeal regarding the so-called “tax map verification fee.” The case is led by Partners Jason Giaimo and Lee Shalov. The ruling by New York State Supreme Court’s Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department, affirmed a lower court ruling that Nassau County has been improperly charging residents over $350 for tax map verification letters that were excessive and unconstitutional.
The case was brought on behalf of Nassau County resident, Jeffrey Falk, who had been charged these fees for the recording of certain real property documents. Plaintiff alleged that the fees were charged in violation of state law, which requires that county fees be reasonably related to the purpose for which they are collected and not for general revenue purposes. Plaintiff further alleged that the fees were excessive and unnecessary and that Nassau County residents are being unfairly burdened by them.
In March 2020, Nassau State Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Brown struck down the fee, declaring it to be an “unlawful and unconstitutional tax.”
“We are thrilled with the outcome of this case,” said Jason Giaimo, one of the Partners at McLaughlin & Stern. “It is a victory for residents who have been unfairly burdened by this unnecessary fee for far too long. We will continue to monitor any efforts by the County to continue charging this fee without following the legally required due diligence and review process.”
A link to the decision can be found here.
McLaughlin & Stern has a long history of representing clients in complex litigation matters, and this case is just the latest example of their efforts to defend the rights of residents and businesses in New York State and around the world.
For more information about McLaughlin & Stern and their legal services, please visit their website at www.mclaughlingstern.com.
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