What is an Ouster (Civ. Code § 843)? An ouster occurs when one tenant wrongful dispossesses or excludes another cotenant or cotenants from the common property. (Zaslow v. Kroenert (1946) 29 Cal.2d 541, 548.) Regardless of whether individuals share property as joint tenants or tenants in common, the property rights…
Articles Posted in Ouster
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…
What is an Ejectment Action? (CCP § 3375)
Ejectment is an action brought by a party seeking to recover a possessory interest or claim of title in a piece of real property. Typically, an ejectment action arises when a titleholder to a piece of property has been wrongfully excluded or withheld from the property. Therefore, ejectment applies only…
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.…
Can a co-owner lawfully adverse possess the other tenant’s interest in the property? (Civ. Code § 683)
While it is possible for a co-owner to lawfully adversely possess the other tenant’s interest in the property under California law, in practice, it is quite difficult and cumbersome. If you co-own or are a co-tenant of a shared piece of real estate property, possession is not enough for the…