Terms Used In New Jersey Statutes 4:19-5

  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • person: includes corporations, companies, associations, societies, firms, partnerships and joint stock companies as well as individuals, unless restricted by the context to an individual as distinguished from a corporate entity or specifically restricted to one or some of the above enumerated synonyms and, when used to designate the owner of property which may be the subject of an offense, includes this State, the United States, any other State of the United States as defined infra and any foreign country or government lawfully owning or possessing property within this State. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
  • taxing district: when used in a law relating to the assessment or collection of taxes, assessments or water rates or water rents, include every political division of the State, less than a county, whose inhabitants, governing body or officers have the power to levy taxes, assessments or rates. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
When any person shall sustain damage by the destruction or wounding of his sheep, lambs, domestic animals or poultry, except dogs and cats, he may take two respectable freeholders of the taxing district wherein the damage was done, who are not related to him, to view the animals or poultry so killed or wounded.

If it shall appear to their satisfaction that the animals or poultry were killed or wounded by a dog or dogs, the freeholders shall make a return or certificate thereof in writing, properly verified, stating the amount of damages such person has sustained. That certificate, together with the properly verified certificate of the person suffering the damage, setting forth the facts of the case in full and the estimate of damages sustained, shall entitle the person damaged to the sum stated therein, to be paid by the governing body of the municipality in conformity with this article; except that if the damages certified appear to the governing body to be excessive, it may require the facts stated, claimed and exhibited to be investigated before it under oath and shall award payment accordingly.

No claim for damages shall be valid unless the certificate is filed with the clerk of the municipality within thirty days after the damage for which claim is made has been sustained.