Easements and the “Merger” Doctrine
Under California’s easement “merger” (merger of title) doctrine set forth in Civil Code sections 811 and 805, an easement (or servitude) is “extinguished” by “the vesting…
APNs Do Not Define Title To Real Property
In a prior post from 2020, Money and Dirt covered an opinion from California’s Fourth Appellate District holding that an Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN), by itself,…
Lenders Have No Duty to “Process, Review, and Respond Carefully and Completely” to Loan Modification Applications
One of the unresolved issues over the past several years in the realm of lender liability law is whether lenders owe tort duties to borrowers in…
Loan Modifications and Losing Lien Priority
Modifying a loan can sometimes cause a loss of lien priority. It all depends on the facts underlying the modification, and even the original loan. A…
Relying on a Void Quiet Title Judgment
Under California’s Quiet Title Act, a third party who acts in reliance on a quiet title judgment retains its property rights even if that quiet title…
Deeds of Trust and Community Property
A deed of trust beneficiary usually feels pretty confident with the validity of the deed as long as it is signed by an owner of the…
A Trustee’s Sale Says Nothing About a Property’s “Fair Market Value”
Under California’s Revenue and Taxation Code, the purchase price of real property usually creates a rebuttable presumption regarding the property’s “fair market value.” However, for that…
How a Junior Lien Can Survive Judicial Foreclosure
This post was primarily authored by Zachary B. Young, a “Rising Star” for four years running and a Litigation Associate at Patton Sullivan Brodehl LLP. Oscar…
Purchaser Has No “Notice” from an Erroneous Abstract of Judgment
A judgment creditor can record an abstract of judgment, a document that identifies the judgment debtor and the amount of the debt. The abstract usually does…
Lender Has No Duty to Monitor and Correct Public Records
Mortgage lenders tend to pay a lot of attention to the real property securing their loans, as they should. Before the loan is made, lenders scrutinize…