KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Supreme Court unanimously sided with Jackson County and Tyler Technologies, which sought to dismiss a class action lawsuit filed by a group of Jackson County property owners following the 2023 Jackson County property assessment process.
The lawsuit was filed against Jackson County, several county officials and Tyler Technologies, the company contracted by Jackson County to provide property appraisal and reassessment services.
The taxpayers claimed that the county failed to inform them of assessment increases in a timely manner and that physical property inspections were not performed on properties with assessed valuation increases of 15% or more.
Jackson County and Tyler Technologies moved to dismiss the lawsuit — claiming the plaintiffs "failed to exhaust all available administrative remedies," such as seeking assistance from the board of equalization and the state tax commission, before filing the lawsuit.
The defendants' motion was dismissed by the Jackson County Circuit Court and both the county and Tyler Technologies sought a writ from the Missouri Supreme Court.
The Missouri Supreme Court passed down the case Tuesday, issuing a preliminary writ of prohibition, directing the circuit court to overrule its decision to dismiss the county's and Tyler Technologies' motion.
The court issued a decision Tuesday, making its preliminary writ of prohibition permanent.
Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr. responded to the court's ruling.
“Today’s unanimous Supreme Court decision reaffirms our steadfast commitment to lawful and fair property assessments,” White said. “While we respect the role of oversight, it’s clear that this recent lawsuit is an improper and politically motivated attack on our process. These efforts have been about rectifying injustices and ensuring fair taxation for our residents.”
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