To initiate a partition action in Pennsylvania, a co-owner must file a partition complaint at the Court of Common Pleas. The Complaint will set forth the property description, the names and addresses of the co-owners, and their interest in the property.
A partition action is a lawsuit in which a court determines whether a property with two or more owners is to be partitioned or sold. When two or more owners cannot agree on the disposition of the property in question, any of the owners can file a partition action in the appropriate court.
The owner who no longer wants ownership of the property can ask the court to force a sale in lieu of partition. Rather than continuing to co-own the property, the court can force the owners to put the house up for sale.
A partition action usually takes between six to nine months depending on the circumstances and the complexity of each case. The most significant factor is whether the partition is being handled by an attorney who practices only in partition law.
Can One Owner Sell a Jointly Owned Property? Generally, one co-owner cannot sell the entire property without the consent of the others. However, in a tenancy in common, a party may sell their interest without seeking consent from the others.
To initiate a partition action in Pennsylvania, a co-owner must file a partition complaint at the Court of Common Pleas. The Complaint will set forth the property description, the names and addresses of the co-owners, and their interest in the property.