Prerequisites to Filing a Lis Pendens Pending Legal Action: A lawsuit involving a property claim, such as ownership or title, must be filed or about to be filed. Direct Connection to Property: The legal action must directly affect the property's title, ownership, or rights, not just financial disputes.
Preparing a Notice of Lis Pendens Assemble the document, including the title, legal description of the property, name of the plaintiff, name of the defendant, and case number. Make sure to include the signature of the plaintiff or plaintiff's attorney. Make copies of the notice of lis pendens.
A notice of lis pendens must be filed in the office of the clerk of the superior court of the county where the real property is situated in a book kept for such purposes and must contain (1) a notice of the institution of the action, (2) the names of the parties, (3) the time of the institution of the action, (4) the ...
Lis pendens are used most often in cases of divorce and foreclosure. For example, if a divorcing couple cannot agree on how to divide their interest in the marital home, one spouse may file a lis pendens in order to keep the other spouse from trying to sell the house until the divorce is settled.
The signature on the notice of release of a lis pendens must be notarized. The notice must then be recorded in the office of the county recorder for the county in which the original lis pendens was recorded.
The suit or proceeding must be pending before a competent court of jurisdiction. A right to immovable property is directly or specifically involved in the suit. The suit or proceeding must not be collusive. The property in dispute must be transferred or otherwise dealt with by any party to suit.