Gov. Shapiro Sued Over Land Dispute At His Abington Home

ABINGTON TOWNSHIP, PA — Neighbors of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s township home have filed a federal lawsuit against the governor, his wife, and the Pennsylvania State Police, accusing them of unlawfully claiming ownership of the neighbors’ property.

The lawsuit was filed Monday by Jeremy and Simone Mock, a husband and wife who share a common property boundary with the governor’s Abington Township home. Shapiro and his wife Lori have filed a countersuit, NBC 10 Philadelphia reported.

The lawsuit centers around a security fence, with the couple stating that Shapiro's property occupies part of the Mock's yard. The Pennsylvania State Police are included in the lawsuit because they provide security at the property located in the township's Jenkintown section.

In early July, the Shapiros met in person with the Mocks about the construction of an eight-foot security fence on the Mock Property near the common boundary of the Mock Property and the Shapiro Property, the lawsuit states.

After that initial meeting, an attorney for the Shapiros emailed the Mocks stating that the Shapiros would be interested in purchasing of a portion of the Mock Property adjacent to the common boundary line for the construction of this fence.

However, the parties could not reach an agreement.

The parties proposed a lease agreement whereby the Shapiros would lease the same portion of the Mock Property that the Shapiros offered to purchase, the lawsuit states.

For several weeks, the Mocks, through counsel, engaged a good-faith negotiation toward a lease with the Shapiros. However, the parties were unable to reach an agreement for a lease.

On Aug. 29, the counsel for the Shapiros stated that the Shapiros would be taking “alternative actions” to obtain the portion of the Mock Property they originally offered to purchase on July 15.

"What followed was an outrageous abuse of power by the sitting Governor of Pennsylvania and its former Attorney General," the lawsuit reads. "The Shapiros suddenly claimed, without evidence, they owned the Mock Property through 'adverse possession' despite their previous acknowledgments that the Mock Property was owned by no one other than the Mocks and despite having never been awarded the Mock Property through adverse possession by a court."

For over nine years, the Mocks paid taxes on the property that the Shapiros were suddenly claiming they owned through adverse possession and had used the Mock Property that the Shapiros were unlawfully occupying as part of a storm water management plan, the lawsuit states.

"Worse and most egregiously, upon information and belief, Governor Shapiro personally directed the State Police to patrol the Mock Property," the lawsuit read. "On multiple occasions, when the Mocks have attempted to use their property, the State Police have insisted the area was disputed and told them to immediately exit their property."

Patch has reached out to Gov. Shapiro's office seeking comment about the lawsuit.