Liz who? Liz what? - Lis Pendens ...

Lis pendens is Latin for pending lawsuit. The typical usage in English is "notice of lis pendens", -- a document putting interested parties (potential buyers of property) on notice that a particular piece of real estate is involving in litigation that is currently ongoing. 

LIS PENDENS IS NOT A CAUSE OF ACTION
 

A lis pendens may be filed during the pendency of an action involving title to real property, the establishment of an interest in real property, or an enforcement of an encumbrance against real property. TEX. PROP. CODE ANN. § 12.007 (West 2009). The purpose of a lis pendens is to put parties interested in a particular tract of land on notice as to the facts and issues involved in a suit or action concerning that particular tract. In re Jamail, 156 S.W.3d 104, 108 (Tex. App.—Austin 2004, orig. proceeding.); In re Collins, 172 S.W.3d 287, 292–93 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2005, orig. proceeding); Garza v. Pope, 949 S.W.2d 7, 8 (Tex. App.—San Antonio 1997, no writ). 
  
A lis pendens is not an independent claim, Collins v. Tex Mall, L.P., 297 S.W.3d 409, 419 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2009, no pet.), and has no existence separate and apart from the litigation of which it gives notice. Taliaferro v. Smith, 804 S.W.2d 548, 550 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 1991, no writ). Under Texas law, a lis pendens does not prevent a sale of the property; it merely places a purchaser on notice that a person other than the title holder claims an interest in the property. Group Purchases, Inc. v. Lance Inv., Inc., 685 S.W.2d 729, 731 (Tex. App.—Dallas 1985, writ ref’d n.r.e.). A lis pendens notice operates during the pendency of the lawsuit and terminates with the judgment, in the absence of appeal. Berg v. Wilson, 353 S.W.3d 166, 180 (Tex. App.—Texarkana 2011, pet. denied); see also Hartel v. Dishman, 135 Tex. 600, 145 S.W.2d 865, 869 (1940); Collins, 297 S.W.3d at 418.

Section 12.0071 of the Texas Property Code provides the statutory authority for expunging a lis pendens. TEX. PROP. CODE ANN. § 12.0071 (West Supp. 2011). Section 12.071 provides in part

(a) A party to an action in connection with which a notice of lis pendens has been filed may:

(1) apply to the court to expunge the notice; and

(2) file evidence, including declarations, with the motion to expunge the notice.

(b) The court may:

(1) permit evidence on the motion to be received in the form of oral testimony; and

(2) make any orders the court considers just to provide for discovery by a party affected by the motion.

(c) The court shall order the notice of lis pendens expunged if the court determines that:

(1) the pleading on which the notice is based does not contain a real property claim;

(2) the claimant fails to establish by a preponderance of the evidence the probable validity of the real property claim; or

(3) the person who filed the notice for record did not serve a copy of the notice on each party entitled to a copy under Section 12.007(d).

(d) Notice of a motion to expunge under Subsection (a) must be served on each affected party on or before the 20th day before the date of the hearing on the motion.

TEX. PROP. CODE ANN. § 12.0071 (West Supp. 2011). The record does not reflect that any party to the underlying action filed a motion to expunge the second lis pendens, nor do the children argue one was filed. It appears from the record the trial court sua sponte, only four days after the second lis pendens was filed, ordered the second lis pendens expunged.

Section 12.0071 allows a party to file a motion requesting the trial court expunge a notice lis pendens, but the statute requires that the motion be served on each affected person on or before the 20th day before a hearing on the matter. No party filed a motion and Carmen was not provided twenty days’ notice that the trial court was considering expunging the lis pendens. We hold the trial court erred in expunging the lis pendens sua sponte and without proper notice to each affected party.

  

SOURCE: SAN ANTONIO COURT OF APPEALS - 04-11-00332-CV - 4/18/12