The law firm of Reinhardt Wendorf & Blanchfield was founded in March, 2003 by Mark Reinhardt, Mark Wendorf and Garrett Blanchfield, and is the successor firm of Reinhardt & Anderson, a nationally known class action firm.  The firm focuses its practice on representing plaintiffs in class action litigation.  The philosophy of the firm encompasses the values of hard work, ingenuity, integrity, pride in a quality product and achieving a successful result.  Reinhardt Wendorf & Blanchfield zealously represents plaintiffs in actions involving violations of state and federal antitrust, securities, consumer protection and racketeering laws.  Our attorneys have successfully confronted some of the world’s biggest corporations, challenged their questionable practices and recovered billions of dollars in the cases in which we have been involved. The firm’s reputation for excellence has been recognized in courtrooms across America, and individual firm members have been named as “Super Lawyers” in their practice area.

In 2023, RWB was part of a team of lawyers recognized as Minnesota Lawyers of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer magazine for their work in Tyler v. Hennepin, 143 S. Ct. 1369 (2023), which resulted in a unanimous decision by the United States Supreme Court finding that certain Minnesota statutes relating to sales of tax-forfeited properties resulted in an unconstitutional taking.   

RECENT NEWS:

We have settled for $109 Million the Tyler v Hennepin County, Minnesota, class action lawsuit that we won in the U.S. Supreme Court. Read more about the settlement below, or go to the official settlement website at https://mntaxforfeituresettlement.com/ to learn more.

DID YOU LOSE YOUR MINNESOTA PROPERTY BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T PAY PROPERTY TAXES?
You could get money from a Class Action Settlement.

Philadelphia, PA, September 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — — The following statement is being issued by Kroll Settlement Administration regarding the Minnesota Property Forfeiture Settlement.

WHAT IS THIS LAWSUIT ABOUT?
The lawsuit claims that property owners, their heirs or parties in interest, were not paid the value of their interest in the forfeited property to the extent the value exceeded the amount of property taxes and associated charges owed. The case is called Tyler v. Hennepin County, Case No. 62-CV- 19-6012, Ramsey County, filed August 16, 2019, and is pending in Ramsey County District Court, Second Judicial District of Minnesota.

WHO IS INCLUDED?
You are included in the settlement as a Class Member and may be entitled to money if you owned or held an interest in property that was forfeited in Minnesota for non-payment of property taxes as follows:
• Hennepin County: August 16, 2012 – December 31, 2023.
• St. Louis County: June 2, 2016 – December 31, 2023.
• All Other Minnesota Counties: June 23, 2016 – December 31, 2023.
Examples of interests in real property include ownership or a mortgage or other type of lien. If the original owner or interest holder is deceased or an entity that no longer exists, their heirs or successors may be eligible for payment under the settlement.

WHAT DOES THE SETTLEMENT PROVIDE?
Class Members who submit a valid claim will receive up to 90% of the surplus value of the forfeited property, measured by either the sales price of the property or the assessor’s fair market value, plus interest, less taxes and associated charges owed, and unless reduced proportionately to cover costs of the settlement as described below. Mineral rights owners will receive a flat $300 plus interest. If multiple valid claims are made for surplus value from a property, and the total settlement payment must be allocated among the claimants, the total amount available to be paid on the property will be capped at 90% of the surplus value. All claims must be submitted and validated before any claims will be paid.

WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS?
• File a Claim: You must file a claim to receive money from the settlement. You may file your Claim Form online or download a claim form at MNTaxForeclosureSettlement.com. Claims must be submitted online by 5 p.m. CDT on June 6, 2025 or mailed postmarked by June 6, 2025.
• Do Nothing, Object, or Exclude Yourself (“Opt-out”): If you do nothing, you will not receive money, but will be legally bound by decisions of the Court and give up any right to sue for the claims resolved by this settlement. If you object to the settlement, you may still be eligible for compensation. Objections must be received by November 8, 2024. If you exclude yourself, you will not receive money but you keep the right to sue for the claims resolved by this settlement. Exclusions must be received by November 8, 2024.

For details on how to file a claim, object, or exclude yourself (“opt-out”), visit MNTaxForfeitureSettlement.com, or call 1‐833‐709‐0093.

WHEN IS THE FAIRNESS HEARING?
The Court will hold a hearing on December 16, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. CT. The hearing is only available at www.Zoom.com (Meeting ID: 1613987753; Passcode: 682377). Class members may observe the hearing but are not required to. To observe the hearing, you must label yourself as an “Observer” (for instructions on how to change your label visit https://support.zoom.com/hc/en/article?id=zm_kb&sysparm_article=KB0061891). There will not be an in-person hearing. Please consult the Settlement website closer to the hearing date for more details and further information. The Court will hear any objections, determine if the Settlement is fair, and consider attorney’s fees and expenses of 15% of the settlement fund, plus 8% of the claims actually paid. The total amount of fees cannot be calculated until all claims have been submitted and validated. The motion for attorneys’ fees and expenses will be posted to the settlement website after it is filed.

This is only a summary. If you have questions or want more information about this lawsuit, the Settlement, and your rights under the Settlement, visit MNTaxForfeitureSettlement.com, call 1‐ 833‐709‐0093, or write to: Tyler v. Hennepin County c/o Kroll Settlement Administration, P.O. Box 225391, New York, NY 10150‐5391.

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Source: Kroll Settlement Administration
Media Contacts:
Garrett D. Blanchfield, Reinhardt Wendorf & Blanchfield, 651-287-2100 and Vildan A. Teske, Teske Law PLLC, 612-767-0521