Paramus, home to three shopping malls and a slew of outdoor strip malls, is suing American Dream over its decision to stay open Sundays in spite of Bergen County's blue laws.

In the four-count suit filed in Bergen County court, Paramus is suing the mall’s developers, Ameream, as well as Bergen County and East Rutherford, where the mall is based, and the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which owns the land the mall sits on, asking that the judge order them to enforce compliance with the blue laws.

In the suit, Paramus officials are also seeking escalating disorderly persons fines that could cost American Dream thousands of dollars per violation, though the total amount is not immediately clear.

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Paramus is also seeking a declaration that the mall’s Sunday retail operations are “a public nuisance and can be shut down.”

The blue laws prohibit the sale of nonessential items such as furniture, appliances and clothing within Bergen County on Sundays.

The restrictions, in place since the 17th century, do exempt some services, including groceries and drug stores. They've been upheld at the polls by county voters. Supporters see the bans as offering a welcome respite from North Jersey's shopping and traffic overload.

NorthJersey.com was the first to report in January that American Dream was not following the blue laws for almost a year.

According to the suit, the mall has 120 stores open on Sundays, and has publicly advertised that the stores are in operation on that day, such as on a large billboard on the side of the mall.

Mall says it's on state land so not bound by blue laws

The mall has argued that because it is on state-owned land, it’s not bound by the blue laws, for the same reason that one could buy Jets or Giants T-shirts at MetLife Stadium during a Sunday football game.

Paramus officials vowed for months that they would file a lawsuit against American Dream to force it to acquiesce and close nonessential retail on Sundays.

American Dream executives promised for years that the mall would follow the blue laws. The NJSEA declined to take a stance on whether the mall actually should be fully open on Sundays, and instead opted for the matter to be taken up by the courts.

In a statement, American Dream called the lawsuit "a meritless political stunt driven by private competitor's interest."

"We look forward to our day in court," the American Dream statement reads.

Officials of Bergen County and East Rutherford did not return requests for comment, but both have publicly condemned American Dream’s violation of the blue laws.

Court records do not list any counter-filings by American Dream, the NJSEA, Bergen County or East Rutherford.

Daniel Munoz covers business, consumer affairs, labor and the economy for NorthJersey.com and The Record. 

Email: munozd@northjersey.com; Twitter:@danielmunoz100, Facebook and Instagram

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paramus sues American Dream for ignoring Sunday blue laws