A partition action in California is a court-ordered judgment forcing co-owners to equitably divide or sell a jointly owned property. To better understand partition actions, below are the applicable California partition statutes:
California Code of Civil Procedure (CCP)
Part 2. Of Civil Actions
Title 10.5. Partition of Real and Personal Property
Chapter 1. General Provisions
Article 1. Preliminary Provisions
- CCP § 872.010. Definitions
- CCP § 872.020. Scope of Title
- CCP § 872.030. Civil Actions; Law Governing
- CCP § 872.040. Compliance with Laws, Regulations, Etc. Relating to Property
Article 2. Powers of Court
- CCP § 872.110. Superior Court; Jurisdiction; Venue
- CCP § 872.120. Motions, Reports and Accounts; Hearing and Determination; Decrees and Orders
- CCP § 872.130. Restraining Orders and Injunctions; Bonds; Purpose
- CCP § 872.140. Compensatory Adjustment Among Parties; Equity
Chapter 2. Commencement of Action
Article 1. Complaint and Lis Pendens
- CCP § 872.210. Persons Authorized
- CCP § 872.220. Title Report
- CCP § 872.230. Complaint; Contents
- CCP § 872.240. Joinder of Property
- CCP § 872.250. Lis Pendens; Supplemental Notice; Recordation
Article 2. Summons
- CCP § 872.310. Form, Content and Service; Civil Actions; Publication
- CCP § 872.320. Publication; Court Order; Conditions
- CCP § 872.330. Publication; Certain Defendants; Contents
Article 3. Answer
- CCP § 872.410. Contents
- CCP § 872.420. Lien Claim; Date; Amount
- CCP § 872.430. Claim for Compensatory Adjustment
Article 4. Parties
- CCP § 872.510. Joinder of Defendants
- CCP § 872.520. Names and Nature of Interest Unknown; Statement in Complaint; Orders
- CCP § 872.530. Personal Representatives; Joinder; Affidavits
- CCP § 872.540. Oil and Gas Interests
- CCP § 872.550. Joinder of All Persons Unknown Claiming Any Interest
- Article 5. Preliminary Proceedings [Repealed]
- CCP § 872.570. Repealed by Stats.1986, C. 689, § 1, Operative Jan. 1, 1989
- CCP § 872.571. Repealed by Stats.1986, C. 689, § 1, Operative Jan. 1, 1989
Chapter 3. Trial
Article 1. Determination of Interests of Parties
- CCP § 872.610. Plaintiff and Defendant
- CCP § 872.620. State of the Title; Ascertainment
- CCP § 872.630. Liens; Status and Priority
- CCP § 872.640. Unknown Parties; Interests
Article 2. Determination of Right to Partition
- CCP § 872.710. Right of Plaintiff to Partition; Concurrent Interests; Successive Estates
- CCP § 872.720. Interlocutory Judgment
- CCP § 872.730. Application to Partnerships
Article 3. Determination of Manner of Partition
- CCP § 872.810. Division in Accordance with Interests
- CCP § 872.820. Sale of Property; Division of Proceeds
- CCP § 872.830. Partial Division and Sale
- CCP § 872.840. Property Subject to Express Trust; Division or Sale; Duty of Trustee
- CCP § 873. Repealed by Stats.1933, C. 744, P. 1904, § 198
Chapter 4. Referees
Article 1. General Provisions
- CCP § 873.010. Appointment; Power and Duty of Court
- CCP § 873.020. Appointment; One or More
- CCP § 873.030. Appointment; Three Referees
- CCP § 873.040. Consent of All Parties; Guardian or Conservator
- CCP § 873.050. Ineligible Persons
- CCP § 873.060. Authority of Referee
- CCP § 873.070. Petition for Instructions
- CCP § 873.080. Designation of Public and Private Ways
Article 2. Contracts of Referee
- CCP § 873.110. Services of Third Persons
- CCP § 873.120. Attorney
- CCP § 873.130. Surveyor
- CCP § 873.140. Auctioneer
- CCP § 873.150. Interest on Unpaid Contracts
- CCP § 873.160. Liability of Referee
Chapter 5. Division of the Property
- CCP § 873.210. Division by Referee
- CCP § 873.220. Allotment of Improvements
- CCP § 873.230. Allotment of Property Previously Conveyed to Purchaser
- CCP § 873.240. Division by Lots or Parcels
- CCP § 873.250. Owelty
- CCP § 873.260. Lien on Undivided Interest; Charge on Allotted Share
- CCP § 873.270. Combined Interests of Unknown Parties; Property Remains Undivided
- CCP § 873.280. Proceedings of Referee; Report; Notice; Contents
- CCP § 873.290. Confirmation, Modification or Setting Aside Report; Hearing; Entry of Judgment
Chapter 6. Sale of the Property
Article 1. Manner of Sale
- CCP § 873.510. Sale by Referee
- CCP § 873.520. Public Auction or Private Sale; Determination; Report of Referee
- CCP § 873.530. Public or Private Sale of Part of Property
Article 2. Sales Procedures
- CCP § 873.600. Order of Court; Methods and Terms; Agreement of Parties
- CCP § 873.610. Manner, Terms and Conditions Consistent with Chapter; Recommendations of Referee
- CCP § 873.620. Sale of Property Separately or as Unit
- CCP § 873.630. Credit Sales
- CCP § 873.640. Notice of Sale
- CCP § 873.650. Contents of Notice of Sale
- CCP § 873.660. Securities; Perishable Property; Passage of Title; Proceeds
- CCP § 873.670. Public Auction; Location; Postponement
- CCP § 873.680. Private Sale; Time; Bids
- CCP § 873.690. Ineligible Purchasers; Bona Fide Purchaser
Article 3. Consummation of Sale
- CCP § 873.710. Report of Sale by Referee; Contents
- CCP § 873.720. Confirmation of or Setting Aside Sale; Motion; Notice
- CCP § 873.730. Hearing; Confirmation of Sale; New Sale
- CCP § 873.740. Hearing; Increased Offer; Action by Court
- CCP § 873.745. Commissions of Agents
- CCP § 873.750. Confirmation of Sale; Duties of Referee
- CCP § 873.760. Failure of Purchaser to Pay Sale Price; Liability of Purchaser; Relief
- CCP § 873.770. Taking Setoff from Party Purchaser
- CCP § 873.780. Closing of Sale After Confirmation; Adjustments; Order
- CCP § 873.790. Execution of Conveyance or Transfer; Recordation
Article 4. Disposition of Proceeds of Sale
- CCP § 873.810. Court Order of Disbursement
- CCP § 873.820. Application of Proceeds
- CCP § 873.830. Setoff in Lieu of Payment of Estate for Life or Years
- CCP § 873.840. Treatment of Successive Estates
- CCP § 873.850. Continuance of Action Between Parties if Proceeds Not Allocated; Determination
Chapter 7. Partition by Appraisal
- CCP § 873.910. Agreement by Parties
- CCP § 873.920. Agreement; Contents
- CCP § 873.930. Agreement; Application for Approval
- CCP § 873.940. Referees; Appointment; Report
- CCP § 873.950. Motion to Confirm, Modify or Set Aside Report
- CCP § 873.960. Hearing; Confirmation of Report; Conditions; Judgment
- CCP § 873.970. Agreement as Binding Heirs, Executors, Etc.; Default
- CCP § 873.980. Relation of Agreement to Other Remedies
- CCP § 874. Repealed by Stats.1933, C. 744, P. 1904, § 198
Chapter 8. Costs of Partition
Article 1. Allowance and Apportionment of Costs of Partition
- CCP § 874.010. Inclusions
- CCP § 874.020. Other Actions or Proceedings; Reasonable Expenses
- CCP § 874.030. Interest on Disbursements
- CCP § 874.040. Apportionment of Costs
- CCP § 874.050. Future Interests; Apportionment; Reimbursement
Article 2. Payment of Costs of Partition
- CCP § 874.110. Time; Inclusion in Judgment
- CCP § 874.120. Lien; Priority
- CCP § 874.130. Sale for Benefit of Lien Claimants
- CCP § 874.140. Judgment for Unpaid Costs; Enforcement
Chapter 9. Judgment
- CCP § 874.210. Persons Bound by Judgment
- CCP § 874.220. Repealed by Stats.1984, C. 20, § 6
- CCP § 874.225. Claim in Property of Person Not a Party to Action; Effect of Judgment; Conditions
- CCP § 874.230. Repealed by Stats.1984, C. 20, § 8
- CCP § 874.240. Conveyances or Transfers; Conclusiveness
Chapter 10. Partition of Real Property Act (Formerly Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act)
- CCP § 874.311. Short Title; Application of Act
- CCP § 874.312. Definitions
- CCP § 874.313. Applicability; Relation to Other Laws
- CCP § 874.314. Method of Service; Notice by Publication
- CCP § 874.315. Referees
- CCP § 874.316. Determination of Fair Market Value; Notice
- CCP § 874.317. Cotenant Buyout of Interests
- CCP § 874.318. Partition Alternatives
- CCP § 874.319. Considerations for Partition in Kind
- CCP § 874.320. Court Ordered Open-Market Sale; Sealed Bids; Auction
- CCP § 874.321. Filing Report for Open-Market Sales
- CCP § 874.321.5. Apportionment of the Costs of Partition
- CCP § 874.322. Repealed by Stats.2022, c. 82 (A.B.2245), § 12
- CCP § 874.323. Supersedes the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act
Other Applicable California Civil Code Statutes
Division 2. Property
- Part 1. Property in General
- Title 2. Ownership
- Chapter 2. Modifications of Ownership
- Article 1. Interests in Property (Refs & Annos)
- Chapter 2. Modifications of Ownership
- Title 2. Ownership
- Part 2. Real or Immovable Property
- Title 3. Rights and Obligations of Owners
- Chapter 2. Obligations of Owners
- Title 3. Rights and Obligations of Owners
Other Applicable California Probate Code Statutes
Division 7. Administration of Estates of Decedents
Part 5. Estate Management
- Chapter 8. Actions and Proceedings by or Against Personal Representative
CA Probate D. 7, Pt. 10, Ch. 7, Refs & Annos
- California Probate Code § 11950. Two or More Beneficiaries Entitled to Undivided Interests; Petition for Partition, Allotment or Other Division
- California Probate Code § 11951. Petition; Time; Contents
- California Probate Code § 11952. Hearing; Notice; Parties; Objection to Jurisdiction
- California Probate Code § 11953. Division Proportionate to Party’s Interest; Sale Instead of Division; Agreement to Accept Undivided Interest
- California Probate Code § 11954. Referees for Partition; Number; Powers and Duties
- California Probate Code § 11955. Expenses of Partition; Attorney Fees; Unpaid Expenses as Lien
- California Probate Code § 11956. Distribution; Weight of Court-Ordered Division; Modification; Appeal
