Sec. 12-159a. Court orders in actions contesting validity of collector's deed. Lien. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 12-159a. Court orders in actions contesting validity of collector's deed. Lien. (a) In any action brought to prove the invalidity of a collector's deed, other than an action based on fraud, the court shall, if the complaining party is successful, order the complaining party to pay to the tax collector or to the person or persons claiming an interest pursuant to such deed, (1) amounts representing taxes, interest and other charges lawfully due from the complaining party at the time of such tax sale with interest from the date of such tax sale at the rate provided in section 12-157, and (2) the reasonable costs of payment of taxes, insurance premiums, repairs, maintenance and demolition of any structures constituting a nuisance, and the fair market value of any capital improvements made to the property by such persons, with interest at the rate provided in section 37-3a computed from the time of such expenditure or improvement.

      (b) Any person entitled to payments pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall, upon the recording of a certificate of judgment lien, be entitled to a lien on such property. The priority of such lien shall be, in the case of the amounts described in subdivision (1) of said subsection (a), prior to all other interests except taxes, and, in the case of the amounts described in subdivision (2) of said subsection (a), such priority as rules of law and principles of equity provide.

      (c) Nothing in subsection (a) of this section shall prohibit the court from awarding the complaining party any damages which may be proven. Any damages awarded shall be reduced by the amounts described in said subsection (a).

      (P.A. 95-228, S. 7, 15.)

      History: P.A. 95-228 effective July 6, 1995, and applicable to tax sale notices which are posted, filed or published on and after that date.