Right to Partition Archives

Do a Majority of the Co-Owners Need to Support a Partition Action

Is a Majority Vote Needed to File a Partition Action?

No. A common misconception is that a majority of the ownership interests are needed for a court to compel the sale of a jointly-owned property in a partition. This belief is entirely incorrect. Any owner, regardless of their ownership percentage, can initiate the sale of the property, whether they hold 99% or merely 1% of … Read More

How Much Equity Do I Need to Have in My Home to File a Partition Action?

Any co-owner of real property in California can file a partition action, regardless of the size of their ownership interest. Put simply, if someone owns a mere 1% of a property, they can file a partition complaint. This is because the right to partition in California is absolute. One court explained that “if the party … Read More

Did I Accidentally Waive My Right to Partition?

While it is possible for a co-owner to waive the right to partition a property, it is a rarely seen and cannot happen accidentally. It is important to remember that the law as to a “waiver” of the right to partition limits the co-owner’s free alienability in their contractual rights. Because of this, California courts … Read More

Can I Force a Real Estate Partition if the Co-owners Disagree?

If the other real estate co-owners are unwilling to agree on a sale or buyout of your share in a property, you can force a sale by pursuing a partition action. At its core, a partition action is a civil lawsuit initiated by owners of real property desiring to sell against those who resist selling. … Read More

I Own 33% of a Property. What Are My Rights?

Many co-owners with a minority interest in a property assume they have minimal rights. Fortunately for minority co-owners of property, they have many rights. Your Rights as a 33% Property Owner When it comes to California partition law, a minority co-owner in California real estate has the right to force the sale through a partition … Read More

What Are My Rights as a 50% Owner of California Real Estate?

Your Rights as a 50% Property Owner Many people in California own property with another person, whether this is by choice (such as purchasing a home with a partner) or not (such as inheriting a home with a sibling). The most common form of co-ownership is 50/50 ownership, which generally arises from a deed granting … Read More

Am I Entitled to a Partition Action Attorney Lawyer

Can I File a Partition Action?

Am I Entitled to a Partition? California law generally allows any co-owner of a jointly owned property to force the sale of the property through a partition action. Partition actions are so favorable to public policy that the “right to partition is absolute.” [1]Priddel v. Shankie (1945) 69 Cal.App. 2d 319, 325. However, there are … Read More

Co-Owners' Right to Encumber Property in a Partition Action

Co-Owners’ Right to Encumber Property in California

Right to Encumber a Jointly Owned Property in California In a partition action, co-owners have already demonstrated that they disagree on what to do with a property. Tensions may rise when one co-owner voluntarily places an encumbrance on the property, such as a mortgage, or an involuntary encumbrance, such as a child support lien or … Read More

Partition of Real Property Act – California – The Ultimate Guide

What is the Partition of Real Property Act in California? The Partition of Real Property Act is a new bill that went into effect on January 1, 2023, which replaces the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act. The law gives parties to a partition an opportunity to buy the property at an appraised value as … Read More

Can my co-owner contest a partition action

Can my Co-owner Contest a Partition in California?

Can my co-owner contest a partition? When one co-owner wants to initiate a partition action, a common concern that we hear as partition attorneys is whether the other co-owner can contest the partition. The short answer is that your co-owner can contest anything they want; the real issue is whether they will succeed. In some ways, a … Read More