Colton Partition Lawyer

Partition Actions in Colton

Colton is a city located in San Bernardino County, California. It is situated just east of the city of San Bernardino and is part of the Inland Empire metropolitan area. The city is known for its diverse population and its proximity to major transportation hubs. Colton is home to a variety of businesses, including manufacturing, retail, and healthcare. The city is also home to several parks and recreational areas, including the Colton Golf Course and the Colton Community Center. Colton is a great place to live, work, and play.

According to Zillow, the median home value in Colton, California is $310,000. The population of Colton, California is 54,818.

Experienced Real Estate Partition Action Attorneys Serving Colton

Talkov Law’s attorneys serving San Bernardino County are exceptionally experienced in the area of California partition actions. A California partition action is a law that allows co-owners of real property to divide the property among themselves. The partition statutes provide a legal mechanism for co-owners to divide the property without having to go through the court system. The partition statutes also provide a way for co-owners to resolve disputes over the division of the property. The partition statutes provide that the court may order a partition of the property if the co-owners cannot agree on a division. The court may also order the sale of the property and the division of the proceeds among the co-owners. The partition statutes also provide that the court may award attorney’s fees and costs to the prevailing party in a partition action.

Our team of partition attorneys can assist co-owners with frequently asked questions about partitions, such as:

• Who pays for a partition action? In California, each party typically pays for their own attorney’s fees (known as the “American Rule”). However, California partition law allows for an exception to this rule, stating that “the court shall apportion the costs of partition among the parties in proportion to their interests or make such other apportionment as may be equitable.” California Code of Civil Procedure 874.040. Indeed, the court may award “reasonable attorney’s fees incurred or paid by a party for the common benefit.” California Code of Civil Procedure 874.010(a).
• What is a partition referee? A partition referee is a neutral third party, often times a lawyer or real estate broker, who completes the sale for the co-owners under court authority. The referee is then paid for their services either on an hourly, flat fee, or commission basis, and is relieved by the court of their duties in the case.
• Can a minority owner force the sale of a property? There is no requirement for a majority vote for partition. Rather, an co-owner of any interest in property can force the sale.
• Will the plaintiff win a California partition action? The plaintiff almost always prevails in a partition. This is because the right to partition is absolute under California law. Most partition actions result in the Defendant agreeing to sell the property or buyout the plaintiff’s interest in the property, which is generally the plaintiff’s goal.
• Are there methods to resolve a partition situation without a court-ordered sale? The vast majority of partitions are solved without a court-ordered sale. Many times, the defendant will buy out the plaintiff’s interest. Other times, the parties will agree to a voluntary sale on the open market. However, the filing of the partition action is generally what forces the defendant to see the wisdom of settlement. Under California’s Partition of Real Property Act, a defendant can buy out the interest of the plaintiff at an appraised value, meaning that a court-ordered sale is only likely occur where the defendant simply can’t afford to buy the property but still won’t agree to sell.