A partition action enables you to force the sale of property when coowners are refusing to sell. Essentially, anyone with a vested ownership interest in real estate may file suit to compel a partition.When two or more people own the same property, one of the owners CAN force a sale of the jointly owned property via a partition action or lawsuit. A partition action usually takes between six to nine months depending on the circumstances and the complexity of each case. The agreement can lay out whatever time frame you choose.