File A Lis Pendens On Property In Florida

State:
Multi-State
Control #:
US-00403BG
Format:
Word
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Description

Lis Pendens means "a suit pending". A lis pendens is a written notice that a lawsuit has been filed involving the title to real property or some interest in that real property. Notice to the defendant who owns the property and potential buyers or lenders is given by filing the lis pendens with the clerk of the court, certifying that it has been filed, and then recording it with the County Recorder. The lis pendens must include a legal description of the real property, and the lawsuit must involve the property. A person who records a false lis pendens will be subject to the penalty of payment of attorney's fees. A petition to remove the lis pendens from real property may be brought by the defendant when the property is not involved in the lawsuit.

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FAQ

The party seeking to dissolve the lis pendens must file a motion defining why the lis pendens is neither one of right nor one with a nexus to the real property. The movant will normally also ask for a bond in the event that the judge does find a nexus exists.

(2) A notice of lis pendens is not effectual for any purpose beyond 1 year from the commencement of the action and will expire at that time, unless the relief sought is disclosed by the pending pleading to be founded on a duly recorded instrument or on a lien claimed under part I of chapter 713 against the property ...

What Does Lis Pendens Mean? Lis pendens is a Latin term that literally means “lawsuit pending.” In a modern context, it is a notice filed against real estate that is under the control of the courts because of a pending lawsuit. It is often referred to as a “cloud on title”.

To properly file a lis pendens in connection with such litigation, the plaintiff must show in its pending pleading that the lawsuit is “founded on a duly recorded instrument,” which is a document such as a deed or mortgage recorded in the public records where the property is located. Fla. Stat. § 48.23(3).

A wrongfully filed lis pendens can be removed by the judge in the case in which it was filed. The party seeking to remove it must file a motion and address why the lis pendens is improper under Florida law.

The titleholder can sell a property and transfer the deed to someone else while subject to a lis pendens. However, most title companies will not provide insurance for homes with a lis pendens, and closing agents may close with the lien being bonded.

A lis pendens can be challenged if it is not “founded on a duly recorded instrument.” When a pending pleading does not show that an action is “founded on a duly recorded instrument,” a court may control and discharge the recorded notice of lis pendens.

So in reality, while a lis pendens does not technically prevent a land sale, the average buyer likely will not buy the parcel. This is true because the lis pendens will prevent them from obtaining clear title and preclude them from becoming a bona fide purchaser.

Short Answer: After filing a lis pendens, property sales may stall due to legal disputes impacting the title. Misfiling can result in sanctions or slander of title damages. Removal involves court-ordered expungement or voluntary discharge.

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File A Lis Pendens On Property In Florida