MEDIA ADVISORY

PUBLIC ADVOCATE TO ARGUE IN LONG BRANCH EMINENT DOMAIN CASE WEDNESDAY, MAY 14

Department of the Public Advocate will appear in support of property owners

TRENTON, NJ – Attorneys for the New Jersey Department of the Public Advocate will appear in Appellate Division of Superior Court in support of an appeal by more than 30 Long Branch residents fighting the City’s condemnation of their beachfront homes.

Early in 2007, Public Advocate Ronald K. Chen filed an amicus curiae brief in the case and urged the Appellate Division to reverse the judgment of the trial court outright or to reverse and remand the matter for a full and fair hearing to resolve facts that remain in dispute.  The homeowners had requested full discovery and a hearing, but the trial court denied their request.

Date:                          Wednesday, May 14

Time:                          9:30 a.m.

Location:                   Fifth floor, North Wing, 
                                   Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex, 
                                   25 Market St., Trenton

The Department of the Public Advocate has argued that the City based its determination that the neighborhood was blighted on a cursory and superficial review of the area, and that the record contains insufficient evidence to support the City’s claim that the neighborhood was blighted.

Since filing an amicus curiae brief in this case nearly two years ago, the Department scored major victories in its ongoing effort to reform New Jersey’s eminent domain laws to ensure that the constitutional rights of private property owners are protected.

In June 2007, the New Jersey Supreme Court issued a landmark decision that helped rein in the overly broad definition of blight contained in the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law. The Supreme Court agreed with the Public Advocate’s argument, as amicus curiae, that the definition of blight in the statute was too broad.  Early this year, the Public Advocate scored yet another major legal victory when the New Jersey Appellate Division ruled that property owners are entitled to clear notice and a fair hearing before a municipality can take their property for redevelopment. 

Click here review the Department of the Public Advocate’s eminent domain activities. 

 
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