Articles Posted in legal action

What is a “rightful” dissociation from a Partnership? (Corp. Code 16601)
Underwood Law Firm, P.C.

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 whatever equity they can. Usually,…

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What is an Elisor? (Corp. Code § 128(4))
Underwood Law Firm, P.C.

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 attorney. Sometimes, a party might…

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Do All Owners Need to Sign a Real Estate Listing Agreement? (Corp. Code § 1624(a)(4))
Underwood Law Firm, P.C.

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 the property in question is…

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Can an ousted cotenant recover possession of the property? (Civ. Code § 843)
Underwood Law Firm, P.C.

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. This may result in the…

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How do you sever a joint tenancy in California? (Code of Civil Procedure section 683.2)
Underwood Law Firm, P.C.

Joint tenancy is a special type of co-ownership recognized in California. It is commonly associated with married couples, ensuring that when one of them dies, their entire interest in the property passes to the other spouse. This is called the right of survivorship, and it is the defining trait of a joint tenancy. The right…

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What is a Partition Action? (Code of Civil Procedure § 872.210)
Underwood Law Firm, P.C.

What is a Partition Action? 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 their share of the equity and go their separate ways. But, as simple as this seems,…

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A Guide to Tenants-in-Common in California (Civ. Code § 682)
Underwood Law Firm, P.C.

Co-owning property as tenants in common is the favored form of joint ownership in California. (Wilson v. S.L. Rey, Inc. (1993) 17 Cal.App.4th 234, 242 (S.L. Rey).) Yet, property held in tenancy in common brings with it a unique set of potential issues that are not present in the other forms of joint ownership recognized…

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What is a Shareholder Derivative Suit? (Corp. Code § 800)
Underwood Law Firm, P.C.

Shareholder derivative suits are lawsuits that allow and assist shareholders in bringing legal action against the board of directors or officers in a corporate entity for illegal action. Read on to find out about the relationship between shareholders and derivative suits. What is a shareholder? Shareholders are everyday individuals who have what is called a…

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Can a third party be joined in a family law proceeding to sell a property?
Underwood Law Firm, P.C.

Yes, a third party who has an interest in the property in question may “join” in a family law proceeding. In some specific cases, a third party must “join” the family law proceeding. California codified a third party’s ability to participate in a family law proceeding to assert their interest in real estate by creating…

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Can You Recover from Pre-Condemnation Activity? (First English Evangelical Lutheran Church of Glendale v. Los Angeles County (1987) 482 U.S. 304, 316-322)
Underwood Law Firm, P.C.

The acquisition of private property for eminent domain usually proceeds on a long timeline. Before the government actually uses eminent domain to acquire private property, there is a substantial amount of planning. During the pre-condemnation period, which can stretch for years, a governmental entity often has the opportunity to make land use decisions about the…

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