New Jersey Statutes 27:7-24. Settlement of controversies involving land used as highway; award
Terms Used In New Jersey Statutes 27:7-24
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- State: extends to and includes any State, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia and the Canal Zone. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
In determining these controversies the commissioner shall ascertain, if possible, whether the land has ever actually been used as a part of the public highway, and if such use has been abandoned, and whether the land has been the subject of private ownership for such long period of time that the taking thereof without adequate compensation would work a great hardship, and make such disposition of the matters in dispute as the principles of right and justice may require.
In the exercise of these powers the commissioner may award compensation, whenever he deems such award suitable and proper, and defray the cost of removing and rebuilding structures which encroach on the highway, and vacate the whole or any part of the land in controversy, if he deems that course proper.