How do you respond to a Quiet Title?

Answer 1

An action to quiet title is a lawsuit filed to establish ownership of real property (land and buildings affixed to land). The plaintiff in a quiet title action seeks a court order that prevents the respondent from making any subsequent claim to the property. Quiet title actions are necessary because real estate may change hands often, and it is not always easy to determine who has title to the property. A quiet title suit is also called a suit to remove a cloud. A cloud is any claim or potential claim to ownership of the property. The cloud can be a claim of full ownership of the property or a claim of partial ownership, such as a lien in an amount that does not exceed the value of the property. A title to real property is clouded if the plaintiff, as the buyer or recipient of real estate, might have to defend her full ownership of the property in court against some party in the future. A landowner may bring a quiet title action regardless of whether the respondent is asserting a present right to gain possession of the premises.

Answer 2

You must provide your own evidence that the claims set forth in the Quiet Title action are incorrect and you have some legal interest in the property. If you don’t want to oppose the action then you can do nothing.

Answer 3

You can't stop it. An owner of property has filed a petition in court to extinguish any right, title or interest you may have in the property. You need to file an answer to the court explaining why you have a valid interest in the property. The court will decide the case on the merits. If you ignore it the plaintiff will win by default.
If you think you have a valid claim you should consult with an attorney who specializes in real estate law who can review the situation, explain your options and file your answer. You need to act as soon as possible.

Answer 4

If you claim an interest in the property that is the subject of the lawsuit, you should immediately contact an attorney.