File a request with the court to remove the lis pendens. Provide the legal reasons the lis pendens is improper, offering proof, for example, that the lis pendens affects real estate that is not connected to the litigation. If the lawsuit is frivolous and merely intended to harass the property owner, offer proof.
Other than resolution of the pending lawsuit, the only way to remove a lis pendens is by expungement, which requires a court order from a circuit judge. If you refuse service or the action is otherwise delayed, the lis pendens remains intact, making it difficult to sell or otherwise transfer a property.
That means the house is "frozen" or cannot be sold, refinanced, transferred, until the lawsuit is settled, or the case is tried with a final judgment signed by the judge. Then once the case is over, the attorney who placed the Lis Pendens will be required to remove it. Only after that happens can the house be sold.
How to Put a Lis Pendens on a California Property Draft the lis pendens. There is a specific format and particular language that must be included for a proper lis pendens filing. Serve the lis pendens to all interested parties. Record the lis pendens with the County Recorder. File the lis pendens with the circuit court.
Duration: A lis pendens remains in effect until the lawsuit is resolved, or it is formally removed by a court order or by the party that recorded it.
Lis pendens is a formal notice that there is a pending action, or lawsuit, that could affect the title of the property. However, it serves an even bigger purpose. When a lis pendens is filed, any future transfers of the property are affected by the pending action if it were to be awarded.
The literal translation of Lis Pendens is “suit pending.” It is also sometimes referred to as a “Notice of Pendency of Action.” As the name suggests, the purpose is to let others know that there is an active lawsuit.
There is no specific time frame for how long a lis pendens is valid. Rather, a lis pendens is valid until it is expunged or the underlying case is resolved. If not expunged, a lis pendens is often removed as part of a settlement agreement reached between the parties.
Once the lis pendens has been recorded, evidence of such with the lis pendens must be filed with the circuit court hearing the lawsuit. It is also important to note that you must serve any potentially interested parties to the action by having them served with the lis pendens.