California District Court Partition Referee
In California, co-owners of real estate who cannot agree on how to use, divide, or sell their jointly owned property may file a partition action under California Code of Civil Procedure §872.210. Once the court determines that partition is appropriate, it may issue an interlocutory judgment and appoint a Partition Referee to administer the process.
Under §873.010, the court defines the referee’s responsibilities, which may include valuing the property, marketing and managing its sale, and handling the financial accounting. If the court orders a sale, the referee is empowered under §873.510 to sell the property, subject to court confirmation and potential overbid procedures per §873.740.
FedReceiver, Inc. provides professional Partition Referee services in California District Courts, ensuring equitable handling of property divisions and sales across the state — from residential and commercial real estate to multi-party investment holdings and family-owned properties.
Who We Work With
Trust & Estates Attorneys
We assist trust and estate attorneys handling inherited property disputes among family members or heirs. Our referees manage partition actions involving probate real estate, coordinating sales or divisions under court supervision.
See also our probate administrator services.
Litigators
We work with litigation attorneys representing business partners, investors, or LLC members disputing jointly owned commercial or residential real estate. Our team ensures transparent reporting and fair distribution of proceeds to each ownership party.
Co-Owners and Families
When families or co-owners disagree about whether to sell, occupy, or divide a shared property, the court may appoint a partition referee to manage the process neutrally. FedReceiver handles single-family homes, duplexes, apartment buildings, and other shared assets.
Property Types in California Partition Cases
Partition disputes can involve nearly every class of property. FedReceiver’s referees manage sales and divisions of:
Single-family homes and duplexes
Condominiums and apartment buildings
Commercial and industrial properties
Mixed-use developments
Vacant land and investment holdings
Our understanding of California’s real estate markets, combined with our court-approved procedures, ensures that valuations are fair, sales are efficient, and proceeds are distributed equitably under judicial oversight.
Clients Who Trusted Us
About Our Court-Appointed Partition Referees
A partition action is the principal legal mechanism in California to resolve real estate ownership disputes between co-owners, heirs, or business partners. The appointed Partition Referee ensures that the sale or division is conducted transparently and that each party receives their rightful share.
FedReceiver’s referees have administered hundreds of court-ordered partition sales across California, coordinating with attorneys, accountants, real estate brokers, and the court to ensure accurate financial accounting and proper reporting.
Our team is well-versed in:
Reviewing ownership structures and liens.
Accounting for property income, debts, and expenses.
Managing sale processes under §873.510 and §873.740.
Delivering comprehensive court reports documenting compliance and final distributions.
Learn more about our partition referee services and how we support attorneys, trustees, and co-owners across California.
Stephen J. Donell Los Angeles
President of FedReceiver, Inc., Jalmar Properties, Inc. and Donell Expert Services, Inc.
James H. Donell Los Angeles
Founder and Chief Executive Office of FedReceiver, Inc. and Jalmar Properties, Inc.
Todd D. Donell Los Angeles
Executive Vice President of FedReceiver, Inc. and Jalmar Properties, Inc.
Sarah R. Bates Los Angeles
Vice President of FedReceiver, Inc. and Jalmar Properties, Inc.
Locations Served
With cases involving assets throughout the country and internationally, FedReceiver, Inc. provides nation-wide receivership services including international asset recovery.
Alameda, Butte, County of San Francisco, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Fresno, Humboldt, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Marin, Orange County, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernadino, San Diego, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Ventura County, and the California District Court
States with cases/assets include Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.
How we work together
We match our training, experience, expertise, licensing and credentials with the needs of each case to identify the appropriate use of the proposed remedy including receivership, partition referee, provision director and dissolution manager.
Reach out
Reach out to us via our contact page or call our office.
Set an Appointment
An initial call will allow for an initial assessment of the proposed case.
Sample Pleadings & Orders
With approximately 800 cases, FedReceiver has a vast library of exemplars including motions seeking appointment of referee, orders appointing referee, interlocutory judgments and memorandum of points & authorities.
References
We offer excellent references with local and national law firms, accounting firms and clients.
Court Experience
Given our decades of experience and hundreds of cases, we have appeared in state/federal court and have excellent relationships with numerous courts/judges.
Review the chapter authored by Mr. Donell
Reviving the Financially Distressed Business
Reviving The Financially Distressed Business is the essential guide for business owners and corporate leaders whose companies are under—or anticipating—financial difficulties. See Chapter 11, Receiverships, written by Court Receiver Stephen Donell, CCIM, CPM
Steve Donell’s contribution to the book “Reviving a Financially Distressed Business” reflects not only his expertise as a receiver, but his sound judgment on how receivership can be used to effectively advance a financially troubled business.”
– Brian Davidoff, Esq. Author and Editor
