Here is an overview on how a partition action will play out in court. The party who wishes to initiate the action (the “Plaintiff”) must file a verified complaint for partition. The court will first determine the ownership interests of each of the co-owners.
You are allowed to have a yard sale on the third weekend of every month ("weekend" means Friday, Saturday, and Sunday). No signs are allowed to be posted on public property (i.e. utility poles).
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.
A partition action can compel the sale of jointly owned property when co-owners disagree. The process may take up to two years, depending on case complexity and cooperation. Exploring alternatives like mediation before filing a partition action is often advisable.
Previously, the partition law in California permitted any co-owner of a property to force a sale, often to the detriment of other owners. The new amendments, however, introduce a right of first refusal.
How to File a Partition Action in California Step 1: Determine Whether You Have Standing to File. Step 2: Hire an Experienced Real Estate Attorney. Step 3: Prepare the Necessary Documents. Step 4: Serve Notice to Other Co-owners. Step 5: Court Proceedings and Mediation. Step 6: Partition by Sale or Partition in Kind.
Generally, courts divide the costs of partition among the parties in proportion to their ownership interests or in a different manner when necessary to ensure equitable distributions. (CCP § 874.040.)
A partition action is filed in the Court by submitting a “complaint” that complies with all of the requirements of the Code of Civil Procedure. In California, almost all of the partition actions are filed by attorneys on behalf of parties because there are a number of technical legal requirements for filing a lawsuit.
How Long Does a Partition Action Take? While most lawsuits in California are supposed to take two years or more, there are a number of steps that an experienced partition lawyer can take to ensure that a partition action takes in less time.