When Ownership Is in Question, You Need an Attorney Who Knows the Title
Potier Law Group is a family-owned law firm based in Long Beach, California. Clients across real estate litigation, landlord-tenant law, probate and estate planning, business law, personal injury, and bankruptcy matters have left reviews describing their experience working directly with the firm's attorney.
The Property and Title Disputes We Handle
Not every ownership conflict looks the same. We work with clients across a range of disputes that affect title, boundaries, and recorded interests, including:
- Quiet title actions to clear competing claims and establish undisputed ownership
- Boundary and easement disputes between neighboring property owners
- Adverse possession claims, both offensive and defensive
- Fraudulent deed transfers and forged conveyances
- Disputed ownership interests among co-owners, including partition actions
- Chain of title defects that arise during a sale or refinance
- Encroachments and prescriptive easement claims
- Liens, encumbrances, and clouds on title that prevent a clean close
If your situation involves a title issue that isn't listed here, call us. Property title disputes in California are varied, and our experience with real property law covers a wide range of ownership and recording problems.
California property ownership disputes are rarely simple. A cloud on title, a competing claim to ownership, or a boundary disagreement that seemed minor can escalate quickly — threatening your ability to sell, refinance, or occupy your property. These disputes tend to surface at the worst possible moment: mid-transaction, during probate, or after years of informal arrangements that suddenly unravel.
At Potier Law Group, we represent property owners, buyers, and investors in Long Beach and throughout Los Angeles and Orange County who are facing challenges to their ownership rights. Our senior partner has practiced real property law since 1996 and brings more than 30 years of real estate industry experience to every case — including direct experience in title insurance, which matters considerably when a title dispute is on the table.
Property and Title Disputes Can Threaten Everything You've Built
What Sets Our Approach Apart From Other Property Title Dispute Attorneys
Our senior partner spent years heading the sales department at First American Title Insurance Company before founding this firm. That background gives our team a working knowledge of how title insurance policies are written, what they cover, and — critically — where they fall short. When a client comes to us with a title defect or a competing claim, we understand the mechanics of the title system from the inside, not just from the litigation side.
We also handle both sides of a property dispute from one team. If a title issue requires document review, chain of title analysis, and eventual litigation, the same attorneys who assess your case at the outset are the ones who take it to court if a resolution can't be reached. There is no handoff to a litigation team, no repeating your facts to a new attorney, and no inflated billing structure that comes with larger multi-department firms.
Our approach is settlement-focused. We pursue litigation when it's necessary and appropriate, not as a default. That orientation keeps costs reasonable and resolutions faster when the other side is willing to negotiate.
Who We Represent in Property and Title Disputes
We work with a range of clients whose ownership rights or title interests are at risk:
- Individual homeowners facing a claim against their property or a defect discovered at closing
- Real estate investors dealing with competing interests or encumbrances on income-producing properties
- Buyers whose purchase revealed a title problem the seller did not disclose
- Co-owners in a dispute over rights, use, or the sale of shared property
- Heirs and beneficiaries where real property is subject to competing claims during probate
- Landlords and property managers whose title or boundary rights are being challenged
We serve clients throughout Long Beach, Torrance, Lakewood, Cerritos, Seal Beach, and across the broader Los Angeles and Orange County corridor, including Huntington Beach, Anaheim, and surrounding communities.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Property and Title Disputes in California
What is a quiet title action and when do I need one?
A quiet title action is a lawsuit filed to establish clear, undisputed ownership of a property and eliminate competing claims. You may need one if there is a recorded interest, lien, or adverse claim on your property that is preventing a sale, refinance, or clear transfer of ownership. California courts use quiet title judgments to formally resolve these competing interests and create a clean public record.A quiet title action is a lawsuit filed to establish clear, undisputed ownership of a property and eliminate competing claims. You may need one if there is a recorded interest, lien, or adverse claim on your property that is preventing a sale, refinance, or clear transfer of ownership. California courts use quiet title judgments to formally resolve these competing interests and create a clean public record.How does adverse possession work in California, and can someone really take my property?
Adverse possession allows someone who has openly, continuously, and exclusively used another person's land for at least five years — while paying property taxes on it — to claim legal ownership. It is a real legal risk, particularly with rural parcels or properties that have been neglected or unmonitored. If you have reason to believe someone is using or occupying your property under circumstances that could support an adverse possession claim, addressing it early is far less costly than defending against one later.Adverse possession allows someone who has openly, continuously, and exclusively used another person's land for at least five years — while paying property taxes on it — to claim legal ownership. It is a real legal risk, particularly with rural parcels or properties that have been neglected or unmonitored. If you have reason to believe someone is using or occupying your property under circumstances that could support an adverse possession claim, addressing it early is far less costly than defending against one later.I discovered a title defect after closing. Is that the seller's problem or mine?
It depends on when the defect arose, what the seller knew or should have known, and what your title insurance policy covers. Some defects are covered by your title insurance policy — others are not, particularly if they stem from fraud, forgery, or errors in the chain of title that predate your policy. An attorney familiar with both title insurance and real estate litigation can assess what remedies are available and against whom.It depends on when the defect arose, what the seller knew or should have known, and what your title insurance policy covers. Some defects are covered by your title insurance policy — others are not, particularly if they stem from fraud, forgery, or errors in the chain of title that predate your policy. An attorney familiar with both title insurance and real estate litigation can assess what remedies are available and against whom.What is the difference between an easement and an encroachment?
An easement is a legal right granted to a party to use a portion of your property for a specific purpose — a shared driveway, a utility corridor, or a path of access. An encroachment is an unauthorized physical intrusion onto your property, such as a neighbor's fence, structure, or landscaping that crosses the property line. Both can affect your use and value of the property, and both can require legal action to resolve if informal resolution fails.An easement is a legal right granted to a party to use a portion of your property for a specific purpose — a shared driveway, a utility corridor, or a path of access. An encroachment is an unauthorized physical intrusion onto your property, such as a neighbor's fence, structure, or landscaping that crosses the property line. Both can affect your use and value of the property, and both can require legal action to resolve if informal resolution fails.How long do property and title disputes typically take to resolve?
Resolution timelines vary significantly based on the complexity of the title issue, the number of parties involved, and whether the matter can be settled without going to trial. Straightforward quiet title actions with no opposing party may resolve in a few months. Contested boundary disputes or co-ownership conflicts can take considerably longer. We give clients a realistic assessment of timeline and cost at the outset — not a number designed to get you to sign.Resolution timelines vary significantly based on the complexity of the title issue, the number of parties involved, and whether the matter can be settled without going to trial. Straightforward quiet title actions with no opposing party may resolve in a few months. Contested boundary disputes or co-ownership conflicts can take considerably longer. We give clients a realistic assessment of timeline and cost at the outset — not a number designed to get you to sign.
Speak With a Property Title Dispute Attorney in Long Beach
A title or ownership dispute will not resolve itself, and delay often makes the legal landscape more complicated. If you are dealing with a competing claim, a defect in your chain of title, a boundary conflict, or any other challenge to your property rights, contact Potier Law Group. We serve property owners and investors throughout Long Beach and the surrounding region, and we are ready to assess your situation directly.
Reach us by phone, email, or through our contact form. We return calls and emails the same day.
Call Potier Law Group:
562-986-9900
You'll hear back from an attorney — not an assistant — the same day.