CHAPTER 3.5. Actions to Re-establish Destroyed Land Records [751.01. - 751.28.]

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP 3.5.
in effect

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 751.02. Section 751.02.

Whenever the public records in the office of the county recorder of any county are lost or destroyed in whole or in any material part by flood, fire, earthquake, enemy attack, or from any other cause, any person who claims an estate of inheritance or for life in, and who is by himself, or his tenant or other person holding under him in the actual and peaceable possession of, any real property in the county may bring and maintain an action in rem against all the world, in the superior court for the county in which such real property is situate, to establish his title to such property and to determine all adverse claims thereto. Such action may also be brought in the county in which the real property is situate if any real property is in another county, but was formerly in the county of which all or a material part of the records were so lost or destroyed, and if the lost or destroyed records included all or a material part of the public records in the office of the county recorder covering all or a material part of the time when the real property was in the county whose records were so lost or destroyed.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 751.04. Section 751.04.

The action shall be commenced by the filing of a verified complaint. The party commencing the action shall be named as plaintiff, and the defendants shall be described as “all persons claiming any interest in, or lien upon, the real property herein described, or any part thereof.” The complaint shall contain a statement of the facts enumerated in Section 751.02, a particular description of the real property, and a specification of the estate, title, or interest of the plaintiff in the property.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 751.05. Section 751.05.

Upon the filing of the complaint, a summons shall be issued under the seal of the court. The summons shall contain the name of the court and county in which the action is brought, and the name of the plaintiff and a particular description of the real property involved, and shall be directed to “all persons claiming any interest in, or lien upon, the real property herein described, or any part thereof,” as defendants, and shall be substantially in the following form: “IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IN AND FOR THE COUNTY (OR CITY AND COUNTY) OF _______ __________________________, ⎫ Action No. _______ Plaintiff, ⎪ vs. ⎪ All Persons Claiming Any Interest in, or ⎬ Lien Upon, the Real Property Herein ⎪ Described or Any Part thereof, ⎪ Defendants. ⎭ The people of the State of California, to all persons claiming any interest in, or lien upon, the real property herein described, or any part thereof, defendants, greeting: You are hereby required to appear and answer the complaint of ____________, plaintiff, filed with the clerk of the above-entitled court and county, within three months after the first publication of this summons, and to set forth what interest or lien, if any, you have in or upon that certain real property or any part thereof, situated in the County (or City and County) of __________, State of California, particularly described as follows: (here insert description.) And you are hereby notified that, unless you so appear and answer, the plaintiff will apply to the court for the relief demanded in the complaint, to wit: (here insert a statement of the relief so demanded.) Witness my hand and the seal of said court, this ________ day of __________, A.D. ________. (SEAL) ______________ _______________, Clerk.”

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 751.06. Section 751.06.

The summons shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county in which the action is brought. The newspaper in which publication is to be made shall be designated by an order of the court or a judge thereof to be signed and filed with the clerk. No other order for the publication of the summons shall be necessary, nor shall any affidavit therefor be required, nor need any copy of the complaint be served, except as required by this chapter. The summons shall be published pursuant to Section 6065 of the Government Code, and to each publication thereof shall be appended a memorandum in substance as follows: “The first publication of this summons was made in ____ (here insert name) newspaper on the ____ day of ____ A.D. ____,” (inserting the date).

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 751.07. Section 751.07.

If the affidavit provided for in Section 751.09 discloses the name of any person claiming an interest in the property or a lien thereon adverse to the plaintiff, that fact and the name and address, if given, of the person shall be stated in a memorandum to be appended to the summons in substance as follows: “The following persons are said to claim an interest in, or lien upon, said property adverse to plaintiff,” (giving their names and addresses as above provided).

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 751.08. Section 751.08.

A copy of the summons and a copy of the memorandum shall be posted in a conspicuous place on each separate parcel of the property described in the complaint within 15 days after the first publication of the summons.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 751.09. Section 751.09.

At the time of filing the complaint the plaintiff shall file with it his affidavit fully and explicitly setting forth and showing: (a) The character of the plaintiff’s estate, right, title, interest, or claim in, and possession of, the property, the period it has existed, and from whom obtained. (b) Whether or not the plaintiff has ever made any conveyance of all or any part of the property, or any interest therein, and if so when and to whom, and a statement of any and all subsisting mortgages, deeds of trust, and other liens thereon. (c) That the plaintiff does not know and has never been informed of any other person who claims or who may claim any interest in or lien upon all or any part of the property adversely to the plaintiff, or if the plaintiff does know or has been informed of any such person, the name and address of such person. If the plaintiff is unable to state any of the required matters, the plaintiff shall set forth and show fully and explicitly the reasons for such inability. Such affidavit shall constitute a part of the judgment-roll. If the plaintiff is a corporation, the affidavit shall be made by an officer thereof. If the plaintiff is a person under guardianship or conservatorship, the affidavit shall be made by the guardian or conservator.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 751.10. Section 751.10.

If the affidavit discloses the name of any person claiming any interest in or lien upon the property adverse to the plaintiff, a copy of the summons and complaint and affidavit shall also be served upon such person, if he can be found, in the manner provided by law for the service of a summons in a civil action, other than by publication. Service shall be made during the period of the publication of the summons. A copy of the memorandum provided for in Section 751.07 shall be appended to the copy of the summons served upon any such person. If such person cannot, with reasonable diligence, be served as provided above within the period of publication of the summons, a copy of the summons, memorandum, complaint, and affidavit shall be mailed, postage prepaid, addressed to him at the address given in the affidavit, or, if no address is given, at his last address known to the plaintiff, or, if none, at the county seat of the county in which the action is brought, forthwith upon the expiration of the period of publication.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 751.11. Section 751.11.

Upon the completion of the publication and posting of the summons and its service or mailing as provided for in Section 751.10, the court has complete jurisdiction over the plaintiff and the property and the person of everyone having or claiming any estate, right, title, or interest in or to, or lien upon, all or any part of the property, and shall be deemed to have obtained the possession and control of the property for the purposes of the action with complete jurisdiction to render the judgment provided for in this chapter.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 751.12. Section 751.12.

At any time within three months after the first publication of the summons, or such further time not exceeding 30 days as the court for good cause may grant, any person having or claiming any estate, right, title, or interest in or to, or lien upon, all or any part of the property may appear and make himself a party to the action by pleading to the complaint. All answers must be verified and must specifically set forth the estate, right, title, interest, or lien so claimed.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 751.13. Section 751.13.

At the time of filing the complaint the plaintiff, and at the time of filing his or her answer every defendant claiming any affirmative relief, shall record in the office of the recorder of the county in which the property is situated a notice of the pendency of the action containing the object of the action or defense, and a particular description of the property affected by it. The recorder shall record the notice in the same manner as provided in Section 409.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 751.15. Section 751.15.

The judgment shall determine all estates, rights, titles, interests, and claims in and to such property and every part thereof, whether legal or equitable, present or future, vested or contingent, or whether they consist of mortgages or liens of any description. It shall be conclusive upon every person who at the commencement of the action had or claimed any estate, right, title, or interest in or to all or any part of such property and upon every person claiming under him by title subsequent to the commencement of the action.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 751.16. Section 751.16.

A certified copy of the judgment shall be recorded in the office of the recorder of the county in which the action was commenced. Any party or the successor in interest of any party to the action may file the entire judgment roll for record in the office of the county recorder.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 751.17. Section 751.17.

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, all rules of law relating to evidence, pleading, practice, new trials, and appeals applicable to other civil actions shall apply to actions authorized by this chapter.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 751.18. Section 751.18.

At any time after the issuance of summons, any party to the action may take depositions in conformity to law upon notice to the adverse party sought to be bound by such depositions and who has appeared in the action and upon notice filed with the clerk. The depositions may be used by any party against any other party giving or receiving the notice, subject to all just exceptions.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 751.19. Section 751.19.

The clerk shall number all actions authorized by this chapter consecutively in a distinct series and shall keep an index and register devoted exclusively to such actions.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 751.20. Section 751.20.

Whenever judgment in an action authorized by this chapter has been entered as to any real property, no other action relative to all or any part of the same property shall be tried until proof has first been made to the court that all persons who appeared in the first action or their successors in interest have been personally served pursuant to this chapter either within or without the State more than one month before the time to plead expired.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 751.21. Section 751.21.

An executor, administrator, guardian, conservator, or other person holding the possession of property in the right of another may maintain as plaintiff, and may appear and defend in, any action provided for by this chapter.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 751.23. Section 751.23.

Where the title to real property may be established or quieted pursuant to this chapter, any person who is or claims to be the owner of such real property or of any interest therein or lien thereon, by himself or by his agent duly authorized by letter of attorney theretofore recorded in the office of the county recorder of the county where the property is situated, may sign, verify, and file for record in the office of the county recorder a notice in substantially the following form: “N otice of O wnership and C laim to R eal P roperty U nder the D estroyed R ecords R elief L aw “Notice is hereby given that ____ (here insert name of claimant) ____, whose residence is at ____ (here insert street and number, city or town, county and state of residence), is the owner of an interest in the real property situated in the ____ (here insert name of city if the property be located in a city) ____, county of ____ (here insert name of county or city and county in which property is located) ____, State of California, described as follows: ____ (here insert a particular description of real property) ____. “The character of the interest in the real property owned by the claimant is ____ (here insert description of the character of interest in or lien upon the real property) ____ and the interest was obtained from ____ (here insert the name of the party from whom the interest was obtained) ____, and at the time and in the manner following ____ (here insert time at which and manner in which the interest was acquired) ____.”

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 751.24. Section 751.24.

The notice shall be signed by the claimant or by his agent and shall be verified by the oath of the party signing it, to the effect that all of the statements therein contained are true to his knowledge.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 751.26. Section 751.26.

After three days after the notice has been filed for record, all persons who may begin actions pursuant to this chapter shall be deemed to have notice of the facts stated in the notice. Neither the filing of the notice for record nor its recordation constitute constructive notice to any other person or for any other purpose. The original of the notice shall be returned to the party requesting the recordation as provided in Section 27321 of the Government Code.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 751.27. Section 751.27.

After three days after the filing of the notice for record, any person who begins an action pursuant to this chapter to perfect or establish his title to the real property described in the notice, or any interest therein, must name, in the affidavit and memorandum appended to the summons, the claimant in the notice, or any person who is a successor in interest of such claimant under a subsequently duly recorded written instrument, judgment, or decree, as a party who claims an interest in or lien upon the property adverse to the plaintiff. He must cause such claimant, or successor in interest, to be served with summons in the action. Otherwise neither the action nor any judgment or decree made therein shall affect the title or interest in the property described in the notice and owned by the claimant at the time of the filing of the notice, or by any such successor in interest prior to the commencement of the action. The failure to name such claimant or successor in interest in the affidavit or memorandum or to serve such claimant or such successor in interest shall not affect the validity of the judgment or decree rendered in such action as to any other persons, but such judgment or decree shall be valid and binding upon all persons except such claimant or successor in interest.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 751.28. Section 751.28.

An executor, administrator, guardian, conservator, or other person holding the possession of property in the right of another, may make, sign, verify, and file for record the notice and affidavit provided for in this chapter on behalf of the estate or interest which he represents.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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