Yes. When co-owners of property decide they want to go their separate ways but cannot come to an agreement on a buyout or reimbursements, they can institute a partition action and have the court system solve the problem for them. The presence of a life estate, however, substantially complicates this…
California Partition Law Blog
What is a Claim for Waste in California? (Civ. Code § 818)
A “waste” claim is a means of recovering damages when a tenant on real property does substantial damage to the property itself. Most often, a waste claim arises when a person renting property causes damage while living there. But a waste claim isn’t restricted to landlords and tenants. It applies…
What is the difference between a grant deed and a gift deed? (Civ. Code § 1113)
The deed to a property is the most important document a property owner has. It describes the title and its associated rights while operating as the conveyance of property itself. But not all deeds are the same. While grant deeds and gift deeds are incredibly similar, their differences can inevitably…
What is the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act? (CCP § 874.312)
The Uniform Partition of Heirs Act is a new law that changes the procedure for partitions. A partition action is a court-ordered process where a property owner forces a sale of jointly owned real estate. Essentially, a partition action exists to allow people who own real estate together to take…
Title Insurance and Title Guarantees: What’s the Difference? (Ins. Code § 12340.1)
“Title” is the single most important word when it comes to purchasing a property. If there is a problem with it, then an entire real estate transaction can be disrupted or canceled outright. Many people consider the purchasing of a home to be the single most important transaction of their…
What is a “rightful” dissociation from a Partnership? (Corp. Code 16601)
General partnerships, and their “joint venture” cousins, are composed of partners seeking to make a profit in a business venture. But things don’t always work out. Often, a once promising endeavor breaks down due to mismanagement and miscommunication. In these situations, partners may feel the urge to get out with…
What is an Elisor? (Corp. Code § 128(4))
Just because a party prevails in a lawsuit does not mean the matter is over. Rarely discussed but crucially important is the fact that a judgment must be enforced once it is entered. This isn’t always easy. Losing parties don’t always want to cooperate, especially when they’re operating without an…
Do All Owners Need to Sign a Real Estate Listing Agreement? (Corp. Code § 1624(a)(4))
A realtor should take the necessary legal steps to ensure that all real estate owners do so. When most people buy or sell property, they hire a real estate agent to assist with the process. While the concept of these agreements seems simple enough, these agreements can get complicated when…
How do you partition a condominium? (CCP § 872.820)
When co-owners of property decide they want to go their separate ways but cannot come to an agreement on a buyout or reimbursements, they can institute a partition action and have the court system solve the problem. While partition actions usually involve homes or commercial properties, they can also involve…
Can an ousted cotenant recover possession of the property? (Civ. Code § 843)
Yes. Co-owners of property are entitled to certain rights, namely, the right to possess and use the property as they see fit. But sometimes, things do not work out with the other owners. Heirs to an estate can bicker, business relationships can fall through, and family dynamics can fall apart.…