Hanaway Settles Jackson County Assessment Lawsuit
The settlement resolves state litigation over disputed 2023 property valuations in Jackson County, Missouri.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Law
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Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway settled the Jackson County 2023 property assessment lawsuit, under which the county agreed to dismiss its appeal and comply with a court-ordered correction. Separately, a judge upheld Missouri's Homestead Property Tax Credit law against a constitutional challenge.
Why it matters
Steep, disputed valuation spikes affected tens of thousands of Jackson County homeowners, and the settlement resolves the litigation over that troubled assessment process. The ruling also keeps Missouri's Homestead Property Tax Credit law in place.
Jackson County agreed to certify required adjustments to the 2023 and 2024 assessment rolls and to reimburse over-assessed taxpayers under a parallel class-action settlement. A judge granted preliminary approval to that class-action settlement, and its final terms remain pending.
The players
Catherine Hanaway
Catherine Hanaway is the Missouri Attorney General who announced the settlement and the homestead law ruling on behalf of the state.
Jackson County, Missouri
Jackson County is the Missouri county whose 2023 property assessments drew the state's intervention, a court-ordered rollback, and this settlement.
The details
Under the settlement, Jackson County agreed to dismiss its appeal after the state prevailed at trial, and to maintain the corrected assessments the state's order required. The state had intervened in the dispute, and a court ordered rollbacks of the largest increases.
Timeline
2023: Jackson County property assessment spikes affected tens of thousands of homeowners.
2023 and 2024 assessment rolls: Jackson County agreed to certify required adjustments.
November 4, 2026: Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced the settlement and the homestead law ruling.
Legal Context
The settlement follows Missouri voters' approval of a constitutional amendment requiring direct election of all county assessors, a change meant to address assessment accountability. The state's enforcement reached more than 90 counties found below compliance standards, showing how the dispute fits a wider statewide pattern.
Jackson County homeowners whose 2023 assessments were unlawfully inflated may be eligible for reimbursement under the class-action settlement once it receives final approval. The corrected assessments the county must maintain will shape the property tax bills homeowners receive in the 2023 and 2024 rolls.
The takeaway
Property owners who believe their assessments were inflated should check their county's corrected rolls and watch for class-action notices. Court-ordered corrections can reach beyond the parties to a single case when a county's process is found unlawful.
Further reading
Explore more Missouri Law coverage to see how state courts handle tax and assessment disputes.
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