Quiet Title

Quiet Title

Los Angeles Quiet Title Attorneys - Secure Clear Ownership in California

When conflicting claims or uncertainties cloud the title to real property in California, a Quiet Title Action offers a powerful legal remedy. At Schorr Law, we help clients resolve title disputes through this formal court process, ensuring ownership clarity and marketability.

What Is a Quiet Title Action and What Does a Quiet Title Attorney Do in Los Angeles?

A quiet title case is a legal action used to resolve disputes over ownership or interest in real estate. It serves as a catch-all legal remedy for addressing uncertainties in property ownership, such as conflicting claims, outdated liens, or unrecorded interests. If there’s a question about who truly owns a piece of property, or what rights exist on it, a quiet title action may be the most effective way to resolve it.

Quiet Title Case & Role of Quiet Title Attorney
Quiet Title Attorneys Are Most Commonly Needed

Types of Disputes Can Be Resolved with a Quiet Title Case

Quiet title actions often involve:

  • Clearing outdated or invalid liens from title records
  • Asserting ownership rights not yet formally recorded. This includes bringing claims to resolve title disputes concerning who should or should not be on title (showing the true beneficial interest).
  • Resolving boundary or easement disputes
  • Addressing adverse possession claims
  • Challenging fraudulent or mistaken transfers

How Does a Quiet Title Attorney Proceed to Clear Title?

Any matter where recorded or unrecorded interests in real property are disputed can potentially be brought under a quiet title claim. Our attorneys do this by:

  • Investigating the property’s title history for defects or conflicting claims
  • Determining proper defendants, including unknown heirs, past owners, or lienholders
  • Drafting and filing a verified complaint that complies with California’s Code of Civil Procedure (CCP §§ 760.010–764.080)
  • Serving all parties and, if needed, publishing notice in local newspapers
  • Litigating or negotiating resolutions
  • Recording the court’s judgment to formally clear title

Because we’ve handled hundreds of quiet title matters across California, our attorneys are well-versed in procedural rules, documentary requirements, and local court expectations.

Quiet Title Actions Attorney In Los Angeles, California
Our Process for Quiet Title Actions

What Laws Govern Quiet Title Actions in California (CCP §§ 760.010–764.080)?

Quiet title actions in California are governed by the California Code of Civil Procedure. These statutes outline:

  • How to initiate the action
  • The necessity of a verified complaint
  • The need to name all potential claimants
  • The effect of a judgment (binding on the world if done properly)
  • Limitations and procedural safeguards

Quiet title isn’t just paperwork, it’s a formal lawsuit, and it requires deep knowledge of real estate law, proper pleading, and precise service. When handled properly, it gives property owners the peace of mind of uncontested ownership. Often times we have to quiet title in to clear title so that the property owner can get a clean title insurance title report.

Why Choose our Quiet Title Attorney in Los Angeles, California?

Schorr Law’s quiet title attorneys have extensive experience with quiet title matters. We have litigated them extensively throughout the state of California. We have quieted title to old liens, easements, encroachments, licenses, competing ownership claims, and even adverse possession claims. In addition, Schorr Law’s lead attorney, Zachary Schorr, lectures and provides continuing education to lawyers regarding how to quiet title to real property. We are recognized nationally as a leading firm in quiet title matters and a thought leader on innovative quiet title applications in real estate.
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Representative Matters

At Schorr Law, we have a proven track record of successfully resolving quiet title disputes across California. Our attorneys represent property owners, co-owners, and claimants in high-stakes real estate litigation, using strategic analysis and courtroom advocacy to clear title and protect ownership rights. Below is a sample of the diverse quiet title matters we have handled:

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Quiet Title to Remove Old Liens or Deeds of Trust – Successfully cleared outdated or unreleased liens and deeds of trust recorded decades earlier, allowing clients to refinance or sell their properties with clean title.

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Establishing Ownership for Off-Title Beneficial Owners – Quieted title in favor of individuals, such as ex-boyfriends, girlfriends, fiancés, or family members, who were not on title due to poor credit but contributed to the purchase and were intended to have ownership rights.
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Removing Parties Who Were On Title Only for Loan Purposes – Quieted title against individuals who were added to title solely to qualify for a mortgage (credit accommodation), but who had no real ownership interest in the property.

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Undoing Fraudulent Transfers of Real Property – Successfully voided fraudulent conveyances and restored legal ownership to rightful property holders through quiet title actions. On one occasion, we did this post judgment when we learned that the defendant attempted to avoid judgment collection by giving everything he had to his son.
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Clearing Title Based on Title Report Issues – Resolved issues identified in preliminary or final title reports, including unreleased deeds, incorrect legal descriptions, or conflicting ownership claims, to facilitate closings and remove clouds on title.

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Perfecting Easement or License Interests Over Neighboring Property – Asserted clients’ rights to use neighboring land through easements or long-standing licenses, resolving boundary disputes and access issues through quiet title litigation. Most of our easement cases are done through a quiet title action where we are asserting that an easement should hit the title.
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Quiet Title via Adverse Possession – Proved rightful ownership of property through adverse possession, allowing clients to claim title based on exclusive, hostile, and continuous possession over a statutory period.
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Resolving Lien Priority Conflicts – Handled disputes involving competing liens, such as mechanics liens, tax liens, or junior deeds of trust, by quieting title and establishing proper lien priority.
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Resolving Competing Ownership Claims – Represented clients in disputes where multiple parties claimed ownership of the same property. We used quiet title actions to determine and affirm legal ownership, even in the absence of clear written agreements.

When Should You Hire a Quiet Title Attorney to Resolve Title Disputes?

Whether you’re dealing with a lien, a boundary issue, or a dispute over rightful ownership, we’re ready to guide you from uncertainty to certainty, backed by court order. At Schorr Law, our Los Angeles-based quiet title attorneys bring unmatched experience and clarity to title litigation.

What Are Common Questions About Quiet Title Actions in California?

Q1. What is a quiet title action in California?

A quiet title action is a lawsuit filed to establish clear ownership of real property and remove any competing claims, liens, or encumbrances that cloud the title. It results in a court judgment confirming the rightful owner. In some instances it is the opposite where we are establishing a claim in title either via ownership or an easement.

Q2. When should I file a quiet title action?

You should consider filing if:

  • There are old or invalid liens on the title
  • You acquired the property through adverse possession
  • There’s a dispute with a co-owner, ex, or family member
  • The property was fraudulently transferred
  • You need to correct title defects before selling or refinancing
  • You are worried about maintaining the status quo on title (usually in ownership disputes) and you need to make sure the property is not marketable while you resolve your dispute – in those instances we can record a lis pendens to lien title.
Q3. How long does a quiet title lawsuit take in California?

It varies based on the complexity of the dispute and whether the other parties contest it. Uncontested cases may resolve in 4–6 months, while contested matters can take a year or more.

Q4. Is a quiet title action required to remove old liens or deed errors?

In many cases, yes, especially if the lienholder cannot be located or won’t voluntarily release the lien. Quiet title provides a court-ordered resolution that clears the title officially.

Q5. Can quiet titles be used in boundary or easement disputes?

Yes. If there’s confusion or disagreement about property lines, access rights, or long-term use (such as prescriptive easements), a quiet title action can legally settle those disputes.

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