Kevin P. Nett serves as a Court-Appointed Partition Referee for real property disputes throughout Riverside County and Southern California.

When co-owners of real estate cannot agree on whether to sell or divide property, a partition action may be filed in Superior Court. After determining the ownership interests of the parties, the court may appoint a Partition Referee to carry out the sale or division of the property.

A Partition Referee acts as a neutral officer of the court, responsible for supervising the marketing and sale of the property, coordinating with real estate professionals, reporting to the court, and ensuring the proceeds are properly distributed according to the court’s judgment.

Kevin P. Nett accepts court appointments as Partition Referee in matters involving residential, commercial, and investment real estate throughout Southern California.

Attorneys seeking appointment of a Partition Referee may contact the firm for availability and proposed order language.

What is a Partition Referee?

In a California partition action, the court determines the ownership interests of the parties and then orders the property to be divided or sold. When a sale is required, the court appoints a Partition Referee to carry out the court’s judgment.

Under California law, the court may appoint a referee pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure §873.010 to supervise the partition process. The referee acts as a neutral officer of the court, responsible for managing the sale or division of the property and reporting back to the court.

In most partition cases involving real estate, the court authorizes the referee to coordinate the marketing and sale of the property through a licensed real estate broker. The referee ensures that the property is properly marketed, that offers are fairly evaluated, and that the sale proceeds are distributed according to the court’s orders.

Partition referees are commonly appointed in disputes involving inherited property, investment properties owned by multiple partners, real estate owned by unmarried couples, and other situations where co-owners cannot agree on the disposition of property.

The referee process allows the court to ensure that the property is sold in a fair and orderly manner while protecting the interests of all owners.