To initiate a partition lawsuit in Virginia, a co-owner must file a complaint in the circuit court of the city or county where the property is located. The complaint should outline the details of the co-ownership, the nature of the dispute, and the requested relief (division or sale).
A partition agreement divides, or partitions, a married couple's community estate into two separate estates. It is sometimes called a post-nuptial or post-marital agreement and is similar to a prenuptial agreement, except that it is executed by a married couple.
If one owner wants to sell a jointly owned property but the other owner(s) refuse, the party seeking to sell can file a partition action. This legal procedure allows a court to intervene and force the sale of the property, dividing the proceeds among the owners ing to their ownership interests.
The process of partition action starts with one or more owners filing a petition in court. The court then examines the real estate details and the owners' interests to decide on the best division method.
If the court orders partition in kind, the court shall allocate to the parties that are unknown, unlocatable, or the subject of a default judgment a part of the property representing the combined interests of such parties as determined by the court, and such part of the property shall remain undivided.