Augusta County First Amendment Case

First Amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

**** PRESS RELEASE *** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WHAT: Augusta Co. Real Estate Assessment Case
WHERE: Augusta County Courthouse, Downtown Staunton
WHEN: Thurday, Oct. 1, 2009
TIME: 1:30 pm

CONTACT PERSON:
Francis Chester, Esq.
(540) 337-7270 office
(540) 997-5277 home

Churchville attorney Francis Chester filed lawsuit against the Augusta County Board of Supervisors and the Commissioner of the Revenue Jean Shrewsbury to roll back 2009 real estate tax assessments to 2005 levels. As a result, Augusta County filed suit against Francis Chester stating he had filed a frivolous lawsuit and asked the court to assess financial penalties against him.

Although the original 1,200 copies of the tax assessment petitions containing 10,600 signatures were filed with the court, the judge required a separate set of copies of the petitions for each plaintiff in the suit.

Those ten copies -- one for each of the seven supervisors, the commissioner of the revenue, the county attorney, and the court -- and consisting of 86 pounds of paper and numerous reams of copy paper -- will be delivered to the courthouse on Thursday, October 1, 2009, at 1:30 pm.

Mr. Chester has filed a mass appeal for 10,600 appellants and thus has a mass appeal for the mass assessments.
See more here