A Marvin agreement is an implied or express contract made between two nonmarried cohabitants/partners regarding property rights during a romantic relationship. Generally, unmarried partners living together can enter a variety of contracts, including but not limited to pooling their earnings to share property equally, holding property as joint tenants or…
Articles Posted in Multiple owners
What is a Deed of Trust? (CCP § 2924)
A deed of trust is a commonly used mortgage document in California. Essentially, a deed of trust provides a lender with security for the repayment of the loan and effectively functions similarly to a mortgage. A deed of trust is a deed that transfers a legal interest in a piece…
What is a TIC Agreement (Kapner v. Meadowland Ranch Assn. (2004) 116 Cal.App.4th 1182)
A “TIC” Agreement is a contractual agreement between tenants in common to real property. Because each tenant in common is a co-owner of the property, these agreements can help spell out the rights of each, preventing future disputes over payment or occupation. And, if the dispute cannot be prevented, the…
What happens when a co-owner refuses to pay their share of the mortgage? ((Wallace v. Daley (1990) 220 Cal.App.3d 1028.)
In California, cotenants are obligated to pay for their portion of common costs. A huge part of owning property jointly is “splitting the bill,” so to speak. From Property taxes to mortgage payments to utilities, the list goes on and on in terms of what all cotenants are responsible for.…
What is a Motion to Determine Title in a Quiet Title Action? (CCP § 760.030)
A motion to determine title is a motion to the court requesting that the court establish title to a piece of real property. Typically, a motion to determine title shows up in the court as a quiet title action. A quiet title action is brought when a litigant seeks to…
Can Guardians or Conservators file partition claims? (CCP § 872.710(c))
Yes, but only in specific circumstances. When thinking of lawsuits, most people associate them with individuals. John may sue Mary for battery, for example. But this isn’t always the case. A large part of the law is devoted to virtual representation because some people, like minors, simply cannot file suit. …
Are Tenant-in-Common Agreements Constitutional? (Tom v. City and County of San Francisco (2004) 120 Cal.App.4th 674.)
Co-ownership of property brings with it many rights and duties under the law. These rights and duties can vary depending on whether co-owners hold property as tenants in common or joint tenants; these are the two most popular forms of joint ownership in the state. Regardless of the ownership scheme,…
Is there a Statute of Limitations on Partition Actions? (CCP § 318)
In most cases, no. Instead, the statute of limitations most frequently bars a partition action when a party’s rights to the property have lapsed due to an ouster. What is a Partition Action? A partition action is an action brought by a co-owner of a piece of real property against…
A Guide to California Joint Tenancy (Milian v. De Leon (1986) 181 Cal.App.3d 1185)
“Joint tenancy” is a phrase that most people associate with the co-ownership of a property. And indeed, this is correct. Joint tenancy is a form of co-ownership in California, second only to tenancies-in-common in terms of popularity. But just because the words “joint tenancy” are used in a deed or…
What is an Interlocutory Judgement? (CCP § 872.720.)
In California, in many partition actions, the court may enter an interlocutory judgment of partition, whereby there is an entry of judgment for partition. As opposed to a final judgment, an interlocutory judgment is a temporary judgment that is issued during the litigation of a case rather than after trial.…