There are two common ways an individual can own property: (1) as a tenant in common or (2) as a joint tenant. In California, there is a presumption that the co-owners of a piece of property are tenants in common unless the deed expressly states that the co-owners are joint…
In every property co-owned by two or more persons, there are common costs. Common costs are those costs for the property that are common to all owners or for the common benefit of all owners. In California, cotenants are required to pay for their portion of the common costs. Therefore,…
“A trust is any arrangement which exists whereby property is transferred with an intention that it be held and administered by the transferee for the benefit of another.” (Higgins v. Higgins (2017) 11 Cal.App.5th 648, 662.) Essentially, a trust is a legal relationship that allows a person to hold property…
Generally, a bankruptcy proceeding acts as a stay on the collection of debt as well as any acts needed to be taken to enforce a debt. The rules regarding partition actions in bankruptcy proceedings are codified in the Code of Civil Procedure section 715.050. Typically, whether a partition action is…
A Prejudgment Claim to Right of Possession is a form used for the purpose of avoiding third-party claims in an eviction/unlawful detainer action. The Prejudgment Claim to Right Possession is for the purpose of giving notice to any unnamed occupants of a subject property that an eviction action has been…
In California, a person can claim title to a piece of real property that they are not a titleholder to through adverse possession. Adverse possession requires a person to be in use of a particular piece of real property for the required statutory period. An adverse possessor, however, does not…
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,…
The Partition of Real Property Act (PRPA) is an exciting new development in real estate law only recently passed by the California Legislature. Its effects are far-reaching, and its changes to the procedure for partitions cannot be understated. At Underwood Law Firm, our attorneys are more than familiar with partitions…
American law has its roots in the laws of England. As such, many of the laws still on the books in the 21st Century depend on what English judges thought prior to our War for Independence began in 1776. Because our modern laws go back centuries since before the United…
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…