Real Estate
Litigation

What is a
real estate litigation tangled title?

You have some other legal claim to your home and need to file in court to become the owner.

Timeline

PHASE 1

Establishing your standing to sue the record owner

2-13 months

PHASE 2

Filing a quiet

title lawsuit

2-4 months

PHASE 3

Transferring

Title

1-2 months

PHASE 1

Establishing your standing to sue the record owner

2-12 Months

  • Collect documents that clarify claim your to ownership, such as:

    • Proof of continuous residency (mail, bills, IDs, photos, proof of renovations)
    • Copies of lease-purchase agreements and receipts of payments
    • Evidence deed was fraudulently conveyed

  • Do what you need to get the right to sue, such as

    • Open the estate of a deceased record owner*
    • Identify, investigate, and locate defendants*

  • Draft complaint using the specific law that establishes your claim to ownership and provide specific evidence

* requires payment

PHASE 2

Filing a quiet title lawsuit

2-4 Months

  • Submit the complaints and evidence to the Court of Common Pleas

  • Serve all defendants*

    • If they respond, go through the discovery process and attempt to negotiate a settlement
    • If they don’t, as the Court to issue an order giving you title to your home

* requires payment

PHASE 3

Transferring Title

1-2 Months

  • Draft a deed transferring title to you

  • Record the court order and deed with Department of Records and pay transfer taxes, if applicable*

* requires payment

Title: The legal concept of owning a property.

Deed: A legal document that transfers or confirms a person’s ownership of property or, in other words, that the person has title to the property.

Assets: All things of value owned by a person

Estate: A deceased person’s debts and assets. If they owned property when they died, it could now be part of their estate.

Probate: Administering the estate of someone who has died. This is the process of handling a deceased person’s debts and assets, regardless of whether they had a will.