LandWatch Announces That Court Documents Will Go Online

Press Release

Post Office Box 1876, Salinas, CA 93902
Telephone: 831-759-2824 / FAX: 831-759-2825
Website: www.landwatch.org

October 8, 2003

LandWatch Monterey County and the Law Offices of Jay P. Renneisen, counsel for the plaintiffs in the lawsuit challenging the Seaside Highlands development, have announced that key pleadings and court documents will now be available on the internet, at two different locations. Having easy access to the key documents in this lawsuit will be of assistance both to potential homebuyers and to members of the public.

The lawsuit (Kaatz v. City of Seaside et al.) claims that the City of Seaside failed to follow legal requirements, and failed to obtain adequate compensation for the land that Seaside sold to the developers. The lawsuit alleges that last year’s conveyance of prime real estate to the developers for $5.95 million did not come even close to recovering the true value of the land for the public, and was unlawful, and should be set aside. Obviously, potential homebuyers need to know the status of the litigation.
“It is critically important that potential homebuyers and members of the public have easy access to the detailed court documents in this taxpayer action,” said Gary Patton, Executive Director of LandWatch Monterey County. “That’s why we’re putting the documents on the LandWatch website. Ownership of the lots that KB Homes is proposing to sell is at stake in the litigation. Homebuyers have the right to know what the parties in the lawsuit are arguing and what the Court is ruling. Since the lawsuit is brought on behalf of the public, members of the public also have a vital interest in the court proceedings.”

Attorney Jay P. Renneisen has established a “special purpose” website, just for the lawsuit. It can be found at www.SeasideHighlandsLawsuit.com. The LandWatch website is at www.landwatch.org.

According to a recent case management report filed with the court by plaintiff’s counsel, the “supplemental disclosure” that KB Home attorneys have said that they provided to potential homebuyers was lacking in several respects. For example, the one-page document refers potential homebuyers to the Salinas address for the Monterey County Superior Court. The case file is actually located at the Monterey branch of the court. “Now, key court documents will only be a mouse-click away for potential homebuyers and the public,” said both Patton and Renneisen.

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10.06.03