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.
• Any action or proceeding which is pending in any court of law is. said to be lis pendens. • The maxim representing this doctrine means that 'during the. pendency of litigation, nothing new should be introduced and to maintain the status quo, to abstain from doing anything which may affect any party to the litigation.
If someone has filed a Lis Pendens notice (which alerts others that there is a pending lawsuit involving a property), any party involved in the lawsuit can: Ask the court to remove the notice (e.g. Motion to Expunge). Notify all affected parties at least 20 days before the court hearing.
A lis pendens has no life of its own apart from the lawsuit that underlies it. If there is no lawsuit, there can be no valid lis pendens. “A lis pendens operates only during the pendency of the underlying suit, and only as to those matters that are involved in the suit.
The titleholder can sell a property and transfer the deed to someone else while subject to a lis pendens. However, most title companies will not provide insurance for homes with a lis pendens, and closing agents may close with the lien being bonded.
To file a Lis Pendens in Texas, the party initiating the lawsuit must follow procedures outlined in the Texas Property Code. This includes submitting a declarative affidavit to the county clerk's office where the property is located. The affidavit must generally contain: Names of the parties involved.
Lis Pendens Texas and Property Code Property Code Section 12.007(a) allows the party seeking relief to file a Lis Pendens during the pendency of an action involving title to real property, the establishment of an interest in real property, or the enforcement of an encumbrance against real property.
A judgment lien lasts for ten years. Generally, to file a judgment lien, an abstract of judgment must be issued by the justice court. Some justice courts have a form available on their website to request an abstract of judgment.
Section 48.23 provides that the notice must contain the names of all of the parties, the name of the court in which the action is instituted, a description of the property involved or affected, a description of the relief sought as to the property, and one of the following: the date of the institution of the action, ...
A judgment is valid for 10 years after it is issued, and it can be enforced at any time within that time period. There are ways for a creditor to extend a judgment past that time, so if properly renewed, a creditor can seek to enforce the judgment and collect for many years even after the initial ten-year window.