California Partition Law Blog

By Eli Underwood Owning a home is still a big part of the American dream. Getting there, however, looks very different from what it did for previous generations. People still buy homes today (sales increased by 3.2% in May 2026, according to the National Association of Realtors), but they face higher hurdles, such as...

Can You Dissolve a Trust? (Probate Code section 15403) People often think that once a trust is created, it is locked in forever. That is not always true. In California, a trust can sometimes be dissolved, but the answer depends on the type of trust, the language of the trust document, and who is...

Who is the Agent for Service of Process for a Partnership? (Corporations Code section 16309) Before a case can move forward, the plaintiff must properly notify the defendant that a lawsuit has been filed. This is known as service of process. When the defendant is a partnership, however, many people wonder: Who is authorized...

California Has 105 Cities Where Even the Cheapest Homes Cost $1 Million. If You Co-Own One of Them, That Equity Isn't Yours Until You Can Actually Sell. Editor's note: This post draws on a June 2026 Zillow analysis reported by Axios showing that 242 U.S. cities now have million-dollar starter homes — California accounts...

Does a Partition Action Address Contributions? Owning property with someone else can become complicated very quickly. At first, co-owners may agree to split expenses, maintain the property together, and share responsibility equally. But when relationships break down, one owner often ends up carrying more of the burden. Sometimes one co-owner pays the mortgage, handles...

By Eli Underwood For unmarried partners and cohabiting couples navigating a highly inflated housing market, pooling financial resources is increasingly the only viable path onto the property ladder. Data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) indicates their stake among first-time buyers has jumped from 4% in 1985 to 11% in 2025. However, while...

By Eli Underwood Record-high home prices have forced a shift in how buyers enter the real estate market. To afford a standard down payment, unmarried partners and platonic friends routinely pool their cash.  The financial strategy works perfectly on paper. But signing a joint mortgage without the built-in asset protection of a legal marriage...

Breakups can be emotional, messy, and deeply personal. When a serious relationship ends, people often feel betrayed, embarrassed, or financially hurt. Some people believe they should be able to sue the person who caused the relationship to fall apart. But California law places limits on those kinds of lawsuits. That is where the “Heart...

Buying a house together is not the only way unmarried couples build a life together. Many couples spend years sharing finances, supporting each other’s careers, raising children, building businesses, or making financial sacrifices for the relationship. Some people leave jobs to support their partner. Others contribute homemaking services, help grow a business, or support...

Published in the California Real Property Journal, this article by California partition attorney Elijah Underwood explores California partition law reform, co-ownership disputes, appraisal rights, inherited property conflicts, partition sales, mortgage contribution issues, and proposed legislative updates affecting real estate owners and attorneys. Read the California Real Property Journal Article