MacEvoy v. Borough of Bergenfield
MacEvoy v. Borough of Bergenfield
Opinion of the Court
This writ brings before the court for review of certain assessment made by the commissioners of assessment of the borough of Bergenfield for the improvement of the shoulders of Washington avenue in the. borough in conjunction with the county improvements of the center of that highway, all as more particularly set forth in an ordinance designated ordinance No. 257 of the borought of Bergenfield.
The prosecutors have assigned twenty reasons for setting aside the assessment in question, but, according to their brief, have abandoned a majority of them. Eurthermore, there are no facts in the state of the case to support reasons numbered 1, 2, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18, neither are these reasons argued in the brief of the prosecutors.
“On certiorari, the Supreme Court will not ordinarily reviewr matters not referred to in the arguments or briefs of counsel.” Sharp v. Sweeney, 65 Atl. Rep. 859.
The questions raised by reasons numbered 11, 12, 14, 15 and 17 could only have been raised by an appeal from the assessment in question and cannot be thus raised by a writ of certiorari.
“When an attack is made upon an assessment on the ground that it is unfair, the Home Eule act of 1917 provides a remedy by appeal to the Court of Common Pleas. A dissatisfied owner must use this method before resorting to a writ of certiorari.” Graham v. Ocean City, 98 N. J. L. 426.
The Home Eule act has been amended, since the decision in Graham v. Ocean City, so as to require an appeal to betaken to the Circuit, but otherwise remains unchanged. Pamph. L. 1925, ch. 71.
But we think that the prosecutors’ writ should be dismissed because of laches.
It may be possible that in passing the ordinance in question or in entering into contracts with the county of Bergen,
The courts in New Jersey have repeatedly held that conduct of this sort on the part of objecting property owners precludes them from securing relief by certiorari. Thus, in a late case it was held that:
“Where public improvement work is allowed to proceed to completion without an assessable owner taking any steps to secure a review of the proceedings authorizing said work resulting in the expenditure of large sums of public money, the court will refuse to disturb the proceedings, although they are irregular.” Quinlan v. Cross, 3 N. J. Mis. R. 781.
The writ will be dismissed, with costs.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.