A forced sale is a legal process (often called a partition lawsuit) by which the co-owner of a property can accomplished a court-ordered sale of the jointly owned property. The sale occurs under court supervision, ending in division of the property or sale proceeds.
Joint Tenants (Real and Personal Property) If the phrase "Full Rights To Survivor" appears on account documents or vehicle title, the ownership right becomes a survivorship right when one of the joint tenants dies. This means the surviving joint tenant takes full ownership.
The timeline for a partition lawsuit in Michigan can vary significantly depending on several factors, including the complexity of the case, the court's calendar, and whether the partition is contested by any of the co-owners. Typically, the process can take anywhere from a few months to over a year.
Michigan adverse possession law requires possession for 15 years. Someone bought their house last year. "Michigan's adverse possession law, as outlined in Michigan Compiled Laws Ann. § 600.5801(4), allows a person to gain title to another person's land by using it without permission for a minimum of 15 years."
How long does a Quiet title action take? Generally these legal actions take about 90 days to complete if other parties contest the Plaintiff's claims. Sometimes, an action can take longer as the law requires that all parties having possible claims to a property are notified.
The actual time it takes from when a partition case is filed to when the land is partitioned physically, by sale, or by set-off varies from case to case. In general, partition cases can take several months or even years to resolve.
In short, to force the sale of jointly owned property, you must first confirm title, then attempt a voluntary sale or buyout, file and serve a partition lawsuit, get an appraisal, sell the property, and finally divide the sale proceeds fairly.
The spouses each have a survivorship right, and each is presumed to own the entire property. Neither can sell or transfer their interest in the property without the other's consent. Creditors of one spouse cannot put a lien on the property.