Title Disputes and Quiet Title Actions in Charleston, SC
Cornerstone Law Group resolves competing ownership claims, boundary disputes, and clouded title issues affecting Charleston area properties through court action when necessary.
- Circuit Court experience
- Boundary dispute resolution
- Heir property expertise
What Is Title Disputes and Quiet Title Actions?
A quiet title action is a lawsuit filed in South Carolina Circuit Court asking a judge to declare who legally owns a disputed property and to extinguish any competing claims or encumbrances from the record.
Why Choose Cornerstone Law Group for Title Disputes and Quiet Title Actions
Why Choose Us
Heir property disputes and boundary conflicts are particularly common in the Charleston Lowcountry, where some families have held land for generations without formal estate planning. Cornerstone Law Group understands the local title history and court procedures specific to this region.
Common Title Disputes and Quiet Title Actions Scenarios
Heir Property Without Clear Title
A family in the Lowcountry has occupied land for decades but ownership was never formally transferred through probate, preventing them from selling or financing.
Adverse Possession Claim
A neighboring property owner claims they have used a portion of your Johns Island or Wadmalaw Island land openly for over 10 years and now asserts legal ownership.
Old Lien Blocking Refinance
An unpaid contractor lien or satisfied mortgage from a prior owner still appearing in Charleston County records is preventing a title company from issuing insurance.
Our Title Disputes and Quiet Title Actions Process
Title History Investigation
We pull the complete chain of title from Charleston County records, identify all claimants or encumbrances, and determine the strongest legal basis for establishing your ownership.
Demand and Resolution Attempt
Before filing suit, we send formal demand letters to competing claimants and lienholders, which resolves many disputes without the time and expense of litigation.
Filing the Quiet Title Complaint
If resolution fails, we file a quiet title complaint in Charleston County Circuit Court, serve all interested parties, and schedule a hearing before a judge.
Court Order and Recording
After the judge issues an order declaring ownership, we record the court decree with the Charleston County Register of Deeds, permanently clearing the title of competing claims.
Title Disputes and Quiet Title Actions - Frequently Asked Questions
Uncontested quiet title actions in Charleston County typically take 3 to 6 months from filing to a recorded court order. Contested cases involving multiple competing claimants or boundary surveys can take 12 months or longer.
Heir property refers to land inherited by multiple family members without a formal probate or estate transfer. Any heir can force a partition sale, and no single owner can sell or finance the property without all heirs agreeing.
Yes. If a mortgage was satisfied but never properly released in Charleston County records, a quiet title action or a separate action to cancel the lien can produce a court order allowing the release to be recorded.
Almost always yes. A certified survey from a South Carolina licensed surveyor establishes the exact boundary based on your deed description and is usually required as evidence in a boundary quiet title proceeding.
SERVICE AREAS
Title Disputes and Quiet Title Actions Near You
Cornerstone Law Group provides title disputes and quiet title actions throughout Charleston and surrounding communities.
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