Partition Attorneys in Ridgecrest
When co-owners of a Ridgecrest home, rental, or desert land can’t agree on what happens to it, a partition action lets the court order it sold and divide the proceeds. From central Ridgecrest to the desert parcels around the valley, we handle these cases every day — and only these cases.
The co-ownership disputes we see most in Ridgecrest
Family homes, rentals, and vacant desert parcels make up most of the co-ownership disputes we see in Ridgecrest.
Relatives bought a home together and now disagree
Parents, adult children, or siblings who pooled money to buy a home in Ridgecrest no longer agree on what to do with it. If one owner won’t sell or refinance, partition is how the property gets sold.
A co-owner was reassigned
Many Ridgecrest co-owners serve at nearby Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake and get new orders. When the owners can’t agree on the property, a partition action resolves it.
Relatives own a rural parcel together
Land in the Indian Wells Valley often passes to many heirs, some of whom live far away or won’t respond. A partition action can sort out who owns what and get the land sold.
One owner lives there and pays nothing
A co-owner living in the property alone may owe the other owners for their share of its use. That claim can be decided in the same case that forces the sale.
Ridgecrest co-owners: the longer you wait, the more it costs
You can’t make a co-owner cooperate, but you don’t need them to. In California, a co-owner generally has the right to file a partition action without the other owners’ permission.
The bills keep coming
- If you wait
- Your share of the mortgage, property tax, and insurance keeps coming due whether or not you can use the property.
- Once you file
- Payments you made can be credited back to you from the sale proceeds, and a co-owner in sole possession may owe you for its use.
Nothing happens on its own
- If you wait
- Your co-owner can ignore calls and letters for as long as they like.
- Once you file
- Kern County Superior Court sets the schedule. Your co-owner must respond to the lawsuit or risk a default.
The property can slip in value
- If you wait
- Neglect, liens, or a co-owner’s creditors can cut into what your share is worth.
- Once you file
- A recorded lis pendens puts buyers and lenders on notice of your claim, and the sale happens under court supervision.
How much of your money is locked in this property?
Your share of the equity
Money you own but can’t touch until the property is sold.
What another year of waiting costs
Paid out of your pocket on a property you can’t use or sell.
Start Your PartitionEstimate for illustration only, before sale costs and court-ordered credits. A partition attorney can tell you what applies to your property.
Ready to get your share out of your Ridgecrest property? Let’s start your partition.
Start Your PartitionWhat makes a Ridgecrest partition different
Every partition follows California law, but Ridgecrest properties raise issues we plan for from the first call.
- Co-owners on active duty. Under the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, a co-owner on active duty can ask the court to pause the case for at least 90 days. We plan for that from the start.
- Can the land be divided? With larger parcels, the court may consider dividing the land instead of selling it. We evaluate early which outcome is more likely to serve you.
- Tenant-occupied rentals. If tenants live in the property, tenant protections can affect how quickly it can be sold vacant and what buyers will pay. We plan the sale around them.
Can’t reach a co-owner?
Some co-owners have moved away, passed on, or simply won’t answer. That doesn’t have to stop your case.
Our approach: we locate and serve every owner of record, and California law provides ways to move forward when someone can’t be found.
Who pays the attorney’s fees? In a California partition, the court can divide the fees and costs incurred for everyone’s benefit among all co-owners in proportion to their interests, under Code of Civil Procedure 874.010 and 874.040.
Tell us about your Ridgecrest property
A partition attorney will review your situation and explain your options — usually in a 15-minute call.
- Who’s on title and how title is held
- How vacant land is sold
- Credits you may be owed for payments you made
- Whether fees can be shared with the other co-owners
Prefer to talk now?
(760) 999-3300Questions Ridgecrest co-owners ask us
Can a co-owner force the sale of a Ridgecrest property?
Yes. California law generally gives every co-owner the right to ask the court to divide or sell the property, unless that right was given up in a written agreement. See the full California partition statutes.
Where is a Ridgecrest partition case filed?
In the Superior Court of California, County of Kern, because that is where the property is located.
What if my co-owner is in the military?
The case can still go forward. A co-owner on active duty may be entitled to a temporary stay under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, and we account for that when planning your case.
Do I need my co-owner’s permission to file?
No. A California co-owner generally has the right to file a partition action without the other owners’ consent. Your co-owner is served with the lawsuit and must respond to it.
Will the property be auctioned at the courthouse?
Rarely. In most cases a court-appointed referee lists the property on the open market with a real estate broker, which typically brings a better price than an auction.
