The Indiana Supreme Court will hear argument over whether a Henry County redevelopment company can keep land it purchased at a tax sale, despite the county auditor’s claim that a mistaken transfer of the properties invalidated the tax sale. The case is Lamasco Redevelopment, LLC v. Henry County, Indiana, Auditor, et al., 18S-MI-00198.
Lamasco purchased two tax certificates at a tax sale. Both property owners then sold these properties. The Auditor endorsed these sales without requiring the new owners to pay the outstanding property taxes, as required by law. Upon the Auditor’s motion, the Henry Circuit Court invalidated the tax sale deeds it had issued to Lamasco and ordered the Treasurer to refund Lamasco’s purchase price. The Court of Appeals reversed and ordered the trial court to reissue the tax deeds to Lamasco. The Indiana Supreme Court granted a petition to transfer and accepted jurisdiction over the appeal.