First, you can only file a lis pendens if you have a pending lawsuit with the circuit court. Talkov Law's real estate litigators provide a free checklist of requirements to file a lis pendens (notice of pending action).There must be an active lawsuit in order to file a Lis Pendens—meaning, you cannot file a Lis Pendens on its own. A lis pendens also called a notice of pendency of action is a special type of legal document filed with a county recorder. The form lis pendens below provides an example of a notice of pending action sent for recording with the county recorder. That is correct when you are filing the lis pendens "ex parte". File an "ex parte" (no notice to the other side) motion for approval of the Notice. Lis pendens is a Latin term that translates to "lawsuit pending. Each document presented for recording MUST include or comply with the following general requirements: The property must be located in Riverside County. To file and record a lis pendens against real estate, the claimant must have made a "real property claim" in the underlying litigation.