Notice to all: Lis Pendens - and bona fide purchaser defense

  

NOTICE OF LIS PENDENS AND ITS EFFECTS

 

During the pendency of an action involving enforcement of an encumbrance against real property, the party to the action who is seeking affirmative relief may file for record with the county clerk of each county where a part of the property is located a notice that the action is pending. TEX. PROP. CODE ANN. § 12.007(a) (West Supp. 2012).

 

A recorded lis pendens is notice to the world of its contents. Id. § 13.004(a) (West Supp. 2012). The purpose of lis pendens notice is twofold: (1) to protect the alleged rights of the party filing it to the property that is in dispute in the lawsuit, and (2) to put those interested in the property on notice of the lawsuit. Collins v. Tex Mall, L.P., 297 S.W.3d 409, 418 (Tex. App.-Fort Worth 2009, no pet.).

 

The doctrine of lis pendens is based on the public policy that there should be an end to litigation. Cherokee Water v. Advance Oil & Gas, 843 S.W.2d 132, 135 (Tex. App.-Texarkana 1992, writ denied). It accomplishes that policy by preventing alienations that would defeat the litigation and that would deprive the plaintiff of his relief by putting the property beyond the reach of the present action. Id. The doctrine does not void a conveyance of the property during pendency of the suit. Collins, 297 S.W.3d at 418. The interest of the grantor merely passes subject to the determination of the cause. Cherokee Water, 843 S.W.2d at 135.

A recorded lis pendens is notice to the world of its contents. See TEX. PROP. CODE ANN. § 13.004(a). The purpose of a lis pendens includes putting those interested in the property on notice of the lawsuit. See Collins, 297 S.W.3d at 418. Further, as a purchaser of real property, Brent is charged with knowledge of all facts appearing in the chain of title that would place a reasonably prudent person on inquiry as to the rights of other parties in the real property. See Noble Mortg., 340 S.W.3d at 76.

SOURCE: TYLER COURT OF APPEALS - No. 12-12-00029-CV – 1/31/2013

 

Here, the evidence showed that Charlie and Elaine filed and recorded a lis pendens, which stated that a suit was pending to declare a "security instrument" void. Afterwards, but before a judgment in the first suit had been rendered, Charlie and Elaine conveyed the real property to Brent. Because his parents filed a lis pendens before he purchased the real property, Brent had constructive knowledge of the first action involving the deed of trust lien, defeating his status as a bona fide purchaser for value. See id.; Madison, 39 S.W.3d at 606. Thus, Brent failed to raise a fact issue on his affirmative defense.