A lis pendens is a latin term and is defined as, "a pending legal action, or a notice thereof. " In the real estate world, it means a notice, filed in a court.Lis Pendens is a legal term meaning "lawsuit pending" and serves as a public notice filed against a property involved in litigation. A lis pendens is a filing only providing notice that a lawsuit involving a dispute over ownership to real estate is being litigated. A lis pendens is the first filing made during the foreclosure process. Barron's Dictionary of Real Estate Terms defines Lis Pendens as Latin for suit pending. In New York, a lis pendens is filed with the county clerk's office where the property is located. A lis pendens is a notice of a potential ownership dispute on a property. The phrase "lis pendens" is Latin for lawsuit pending. (c) Notice of lis pendens.