What is a lis pendens? (CCP § 405.21) A lis pendens – also called a notice of pendency of action – is a special type of legal document filed with a county recorder. Though its use is limited to lawsuits involving real property claims, its effect is powerful.
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.
A wrongfully filed lis pendens can be removed by the judge in the case in which it was filed. The party seeking to remove it must file a motion and address why the lis pendens is improper under Florida law.
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.
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.
REMOVING A LIS PENDENS losing party acted with substantial justification. A lis pendens may also be removed voluntarily. A claimant may remove the lis pendens by recording, filing and serving a notice of withdrawal. Code of Civil Procedure §405.50.
Lis Pendens Surety Bonds: California's Protective Measure If the court later determines that the Lis Pendens should not have been filed, the bond provides financial compensation to the affected property owner.
Releasing a lis pendens in California requires that the party that signed the original lis pendens, or their successor in interest, must sign and record the notice of release of lis pendens . The signature on the notice of release of a lis pendens must be notarized.
California Code of Civil Procedure section 405.30 allows a property owner to remove a lis pendens by bringing a “motion to expunge.” There are several bases for a motion to expunge, including: (1) the lack of a real property claim, (2) the claimant's failure to establish a “probable validity of their claim, or (3) the ...
Removing a Lis Pendens in California 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.