Los Angeles Real Estate Litigation Attorneys
Legal Focus Areas
Real estate is often a person's most valuable asset, and disputes over title, boundaries, sales, and co-ownership can move fast and threaten to force a sale, cloud a title, or lock you out of your own property. The Darvish Firm litigates real estate disputes throughout Los Angeles County — from the Stanley Mosk Courthouse to matters in Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Century City, Pasadena, and Long Beach — pairing courtroom capability with a cost-conscious, boutique approach. Whether you need to clear title, force or stop a sale, or enforce a purchase agreement, we build a strategy aimed at protecting your interest in the property.
Expert Guidance:
The Real Estate Attorneys at The Darvish Firm, APC understand that seeking representation can be daunting. It takes time and energy to find an experienced attorney whom you trust. For the past 21 years, the Los Angeles Real Estate Attorneys at The Darvish Firm, APC have dedicated themselves in mastering their craft in real estate litigation and transactions.
Our attorneys focus only on Real Estate, Business and Trusts unlike other Real Estate law firms in the Los Angeles which have a multitude of different practice areas. By developing our expertise in Real Estate Law, our attorneys understand the subtle nuances. Understanding these nuances in real estate to a depth and degree only comes through strategies to meet our client’s specific real estate needs and handling matters on a consistent basis revolving around real estate.
Our experience is what sets us apart from other Real Estate Attorneys in Los Angeles, California, who may handle some real estate matters but do not have the depth of experience and knowledge as the Attorneys at The Darvish Firm, APC. Our goal is simple. Our Attorneys will provide you with a complete analysis of your claim or defenses and provide cost effective representation.
Breach of Agreement:
Many times, a dispute will arise between a buyer and seller after the Real Estate Purchase Agreement for a Residential Property is executed. A buyer may fail to perform on the purchase of a Real Estate Purchase Contract and may allege a breach of contract against the buyer and other times, a Seller may fail to perform by refusing to close escrow where the buyer may sue to enforce the contract.
The Attorneys at The Darvish Firm, APC focus their practice on Real Estate and will fight for your rights under the terms of the real estate purchase agreement. Our experienced Attorneys will advise you on small and large Residential and Commercial real estate law. Moreover, our attorneys may advise you on both minor residential disputes or very complex commercial disputes.
Our Attorneys provide advise on how to avoid these disputes and if a breach of contract claim does arise, how we may best defend or assert your claims or defenses whether you are a buyer or seller. Our goal is to provide cost effective advice with the best possible outcome.
Fraud & Misrepresentation:
- Buyers sometimes close on a real estate property only to find out there were misrepresentations or in fact omissions (failure to disclose) by the Seller. Buyers and sellers of real estate often find themselves parties to claims in which either the buyer or seller has asserted claims for fraud or misrepresentation against the other. These claims frequently arise where, for example, a buyer claims that a seller failed to disclose material aspects of a home’s condition. Our firm is experienced in both prosecuting such claims on behalf of buyers, and defending such claims on behalf of sellers.
Quiet Title Actions:
The Attorneys at The Darvish Firm, APC have significant experience in disputes regarding title and ownership of real property. Disputes often arise when co-owners of property disagree on whether or not they should retain ownership of the property. Our Attorneys will file partition action, to help resolve these disputes.
In some cases, title is held by a family or friend in trust while you’re making the mortgage payment, insurance and real estate taxes. In this instance, our Attorneys will take steps to ensure your interest in the real property is protected, which always includes recording a lis pendens on the real property at the county recorder’s office.
Our main goal and objective are to resolve these disputes concerning ownership of title to real property which includes actively pursuing settlement of these disputes to help avoid costly court costs.
Nondisclosure:
In many instances when there is a claim of Fraud in a Real Estate Transaction, the Seller failed to disclose material facts that would affect your decision to purchase the property. Our Attorneys at The Darvish Firm, APC are experienced in representing clients with actions against the seller of real property arising out of the seller’s failure to disclose defects in the real property. Our goal is to investigate the nature of the defects, help our clients understand the costs associated with these defects, and then actively enforce our clients’ rights. In some instances, sellers are aware of these defects and if a buyer discovers the defect(s) in the property and the buyer believes that the seller knew about the defect, the buyer may be entitled to damages for the seller’s failure to disclose. However, the caveat is that if the defect is disclosed in writing, there is no liability for the defect. There are many facts and depending on the time of the disclosure.
When our Attorneys conduct an analysis, our goal is to identify pitfalls in asserting claims, or, if a claim has been asserted against a seller, identify their defenses against these claims. We will provide sound advice regarding the nature of your damages that may be expected.
Landlord & Tenant Law:
The attorneys of The Darvish Firm, APC have significant experience in defending both landlords and tenants in real estate disputes. Our firm handles complex disputes and evictions that most unlawful detainer firms will not handle.
For more information please Click Here. The Darvish Firm offers a wide range of Real Estate Litigation Practice Areas and Transaction services to our clients. Please keep in mind that this is only a partial list.
- Purchase and sale contracts
- Fraud and Deceit
- Construction defects
- Residential leases
- Commercial leases
- Landlord Tenant- Unlawful Detainer
- Easements
- Escrow
- Partition Actions
- Assignments
- Real estate investment partnerships
- Land development
- Financing Disputes
- Brokerage representations
- Mortgage and Deed of Trust
- Monetary and non-monetary defaults
- Common Area Maintenance
- Foreclosures
Los Angeles Real Estate Litigation Attorneys
Quiet Title Actions
A quiet title action asks the court to establish who actually owns property when competing claims, clouds, or defective records exist — a mistaken deed, a forged transfer, an old lien that was never released, an adverse possession claim, or a boundary encroachment. Under California Code of Civil Procedure §760.010 and following, the court enters a judgment binding on all named claimants that confirms clear title. These cases often overlap with disputes among co-owners, heirs, or lenders. We investigate the chain of title, name every party with a potential interest, and pursue a judgment that removes the cloud so the property can be sold, refinanced, or held with certainty. Learn more in our overview of quiet title actions between co-owners.
Partition Actions (Forcing the Sale of Jointly Owned Property)
When co-owners cannot agree on what to do with jointly held property, California's partition statute (Code of Civil Procedure §872.210 and following) gives any co-owner the right to force a division — usually a court-ordered sale, with the proceeds split according to each owner's interest and adjusted for contributions to the mortgage, taxes, repairs, and improvements. The Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act adds protections and buyout rights when the property was inherited. We represent both owners seeking to exit and those trying to preserve the property or maximize their share of the accounting. See our guide to partition actions in Los Angeles.
Easement & Boundary Disputes
Disputes over property lines, encroaching structures, blocked access, shared driveways, and easement rights are common in dense Los Angeles neighborhoods. These cases can involve express, implied, or prescriptive easements, easements by necessity, and the effect of a recorded survey or an old grant deed. Remedies range from an injunction requiring removal of an encroachment to a declaration confirming the scope of an easement, and often pair with a quiet title claim. We work with surveyors and title records to establish the true boundary and the parties' rights, then pursue the practical resolution — whether that is clearing access, protecting your use, or resolving a neighbor dispute before it escalates.
Purchase & Sale Agreement Disputes and Specific Performance
When a residential or commercial real estate deal falls apart, the dispute usually turns on the purchase agreement, contingencies, disclosures, the escrow instructions, and the deposit. Because each parcel of real property is legally considered unique, California allows a buyer to seek specific performance — a court order compelling the seller to complete the sale — in addition to damages. Sellers, in turn, may pursue damages or retention of the deposit. We handle both sides: enforcing or defending purchase agreements, disputes over contingencies and closing, and claims tied to a broker's or agent's conduct. For related transactional matters, see our real estate transactions page.
Real Estate Fraud & Failure to Disclose
California imposes broad disclosure duties on sellers and their agents, including the statutory Transfer Disclosure Statement (Civil Code §1102) and the duty to disclose known material defects affecting value or desirability. When a seller conceals foundation problems, water intrusion, permit issues, or neighborhood nuisances, a buyer may have claims for fraud, negligent misrepresentation, and breach of statutory disclosure duties. These cases can also involve loan or title fraud, forged deeds, and elder financial abuse. We investigate what the seller and agents knew, and pursue rescission or damages. Read our overview of California disclosure requirements.
Landlord–Tenant & Unlawful Detainer
Los Angeles landlord–tenant disputes are governed by a demanding overlay of state law and local rules, including the City and County of Los Angeles rent stabilization and just-cause ordinances. Unlawful detainer (eviction) actions move on a fast statutory timeline and require strict compliance with notice and procedural requirements — a defective notice can sink the case. We handle commercial lease disputes, habitability and security-deposit claims, lease enforcement, and possession disputes for both property owners and tenants, focusing on the procedural precision these expedited cases demand and the compliance issues unique to LA's regulated rental market.
Title & Escrow Disputes
Problems with title and escrow can derail a closing or surface years later: a misapplied payoff, an unreleased lien, a wild deed, an escrow that disburses against instructions, or a title insurer that denies a claim. These disputes can involve the escrow holder's duty to follow written instructions strictly, the title company's obligations under the policy, and errors in recorded documents. We pursue and defend claims against escrow holders, title insurers, and lenders, coordinate with quiet title relief where the record needs to be corrected, and work to restore clean, insurable title so the transaction or ownership can move forward.
Lis Pendens (Protecting a Claim to Property)
A lis pendens — formally a notice of pending action under Code of Civil Procedure §405 — is recorded against a specific property to give the world notice that litigation affecting title or possession is pending. Properly recorded, it effectively freezes a sale or refinance because buyers and lenders take subject to the outcome, making it one of the most powerful tools for protecting a claim to real property. It must be supported by a real property claim, or it can be expunged and expose the recording party to attorney's fees. We evaluate, record, defend, and move to expunge lis pendens. See our explainer on how a lis pendens works.
Inherited & Co-Owned Property Disputes
Some of the most difficult real estate fights involve inherited or family-owned property — siblings who disagree about selling the family home, a co-owner who won't contribute to the mortgage, or a trustee holding title that beneficiaries want distributed. These matters sit at the crossroads of real estate and trust and probate litigation, and may combine partition, quiet title, accounting, and breach of fiduciary duty claims. We coordinate the real property strategy with the estate dispute so the pieces work together. For the estate side of these fights, see our trust & estate litigation page.
Who We Represent
We represent every side of a real estate dispute in Los Angeles and across Southern California:
- check_circleBuyers & Sellers — Enforcing or defending purchase and sale agreements, pursuing specific performance or damages, and resolving disputes over disclosures, contingencies, deposits, and failed escrows.
- check_circleProperty Owners & Investors — Protecting title and value in quiet title, easement, fraud, and title-and-escrow disputes, and defending owners against claims that threaten their property interests.
- check_circleCo-Owners & Heirs — Handling partition actions, buyouts, and accountings, and untangling inherited or jointly owned property that often overlaps with trust and probate litigation.
- check_circleLandlords & Tenants — Prosecuting and defending unlawful detainer, lease, habitability, and possession disputes under California law and LA's rent-stabilization and just-cause rules.
- check_circleDevelopers — Resolving disputes over land use, purchase agreements, easements, boundaries, and closing issues that can stall or threaten a project.
- check_circleBrokers & Agents — Prosecuting and defending claims tied to disclosure duties, commissions, and the standard of care in a residential or commercial transaction.
Serving Los Angeles & Southern California
From our office on Wilshire Boulevard, The Darvish Firm represents clients throughout Los Angeles County — including Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Century City, Westwood, Culver City, Pasadena, Glendale, Burbank, and Long Beach — and across Orange, Ventura, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. We appear in the Stanley Mosk Courthouse and Los Angeles Superior Court locations countywide.
Request a consultation or call (310) 677-3512.
Los Angeles Real Estate Litigation Attorneys — Frequently Asked Questions
What does a real estate litigation attorney handle?
Real estate litigators resolve disputes over property rights and transactions — breach of purchase agreements, fraud and failure to disclose, quiet title and partition actions, boundary and easement conflicts, and landlord–tenant disputes. We handle these matters through negotiation, mediation, and trial when necessary.
How long does a real estate lawsuit take in California?
It varies with the dispute. Many matters settle within months once positions are established; a contested case that proceeds through trial in Los Angeles Superior Court commonly takes a year or more. We map out strategy and costs at the start so you can make informed decisions at each stage.
What is a partition action?
Partition is the court process a co-owner can use to force the sale (or, rarely, physical division) of jointly owned property when the owners cannot agree. Many partition cases resolve through a negotiated buyout. Read our article on quiet title actions between co-owners for more.
The other side is threatening to sell the property — can anything stop that?
Often, yes. Recording a lis pendens (notice of pending action) gives public notice of your claim to the property and can effectively halt a sale or refinance while the case is pending. Timing matters — see our guide to how a lis pendens works in California, and speak with an attorney promptly.
How much does a real estate lawsuit cost in Los Angeles?
The cost depends heavily on the type of dispute, whether it settles early or goes to trial, the amount of discovery and expert work involved, and how aggressively the other side litigates. A boundary dispute resolved by negotiation costs far less than a contested partition or fraud case that reaches trial. Many real estate contracts and some statutes also allow the prevailing party to recover attorney's fees, which can change the calculus. We discuss fee structure and a cost-conscious strategy at the outset. To review your matter, contact us.
Can I force the sale of a jointly owned property in California?
Often, yes. California's partition statute (Code of Civil Procedure §872.210 and following) generally gives any co-owner the right to force a division of jointly owned real property, and because most homes and lots cannot be physically split, the court typically orders a sale and divides the proceeds. The court also conducts an accounting to credit owners for unequal contributions to the mortgage, taxes, insurance, and improvements. If the property was inherited, additional buyout rights may apply. See our guide to partition actions in Los Angeles.
What is specific performance in a real estate dispute?
Specific performance is a court order requiring a party to actually complete a contract rather than just pay money damages. Because California law treats each parcel of real property as unique, it is one of the classic settings for this remedy — a buyer whose seller backs out of a signed purchase agreement can ask the court to compel the sale to go through. The buyer generally must show a valid, definite contract and readiness to perform their own obligations. Sellers have defenses, so these cases turn closely on the contract terms and each side's conduct.
What is a lis pendens and when should I record one?
A lis pendens (notice of pending action under Code of Civil Procedure §405) is a recorded notice that a lawsuit affecting title to or possession of a specific property is pending. Recording one clouds the title and effectively deters a sale or refinance while the case proceeds, so it is appropriate when you have a genuine claim to the real property itself — not merely a money claim. Recording a lis pendens without a real property claim can lead to expungement and an award of attorney's fees against you, so it should be recorded carefully. Learn more in our lis pendens explainer.
Have a question about your situation? Call (310) 677-3512 or request a consultation.