Lis Pendens

A public notice filed with the county recorder that a lawsuit affecting a specific piece of real estate is pending.

What It Means

Lis pendens (Latin for “pending lawsuit”) is a notice filed in the county land records that alerts the public that a lawsuit affecting a particular property is underway. It serves as a warning to anyone thinking about buying the property.

Why It Matters

If you are buying property, a title search showing a lis pendens means there is an active legal dispute about the property. Buying property with a lis pendens is risky because the court’s decision could affect your ownership.

If you are a property owner involved in a lawsuit, the opposing party may file a lis pendens to prevent you from selling the property before the case is resolved.

Example

Two people both claim to own the same vacant lot. One files a lawsuit and records a lis pendens. A potential buyer sees the lis pendens in the title search and decides to wait until the lawsuit is resolved before making an offer.