REAL ESTATE LITIGATION

We have a dynamic real estate litigation practice to meet the needs of Californians living in an ever-changing real estate climate. A significant portion of our firm’s practice deals, directly and indirectly, with issues pertaining to real estate including Home Owner’s Association. We handle virtually all real estate matters, both litigation and transactional, within our firm. If you seek experienced, comprehensive advice about your real estate options, contact us.

$500,000.00 settlement, plus a return of the control of two large walnut ranches to our client. Our client, a businessman in San Francisco, hired our law firm to secure the return of two large walnut ranches to his family, after a mortgage broker and tenant farmer conspired to gain control of the ranches by convincing our client’s elderly father to sign unfavorable leases and consulting agreements. In the midst of hard-fought court proceedings, we were able to have a defendant’s attorney, who was dramatically shown to be part of the conspiracy, removed from the case.

Obtained a reduction of $420,000.00 in court-ordered attorney fees on behalf of a homeowners’ association. In a homeowner’s association case, we represented a group of homeowners against the Board of Directors, which led to a six-week court trial, post-trial motions, an appeal, mediation, and a final vote of the homeowners. The Board’s law firm demanded $600,000.00 in attorney fees from the HOA members, which Richard Sax persuaded the court to reduce to $300,000.00, due to malpractice by the Board’s law firm. After an appeal and mediation, the HOA Board was persuaded to accept $180,000.00 in full settlement, which was overwhelmingly passed in a vote by the homeowners.

Jury verdict of $380,000.00, including punitive damages. We represented plaintiff, a retired drywall installer. Defendants defrauded plaintiff in order to purchase a winery, gaining access to almost all of the equity in plaintiff’s previously unencumbered home. After an 11-day trial, the jury awarded plaintiff $380,000.00, including punitive damages. After the verdict was announced, Sax called his wife outside of the courtroom and told her, “I think we hit a home run.” A bailiff overheard and said, “A home run, and then some!” After numerous post-trial motions, an appeal, and a cross-appeal, the trial court’s findings in favor of plaintiff were affirmed in full.

Successful resolution of a case involving an easement by implication and necessity. In an action to establish an easement, plaintiff contends that when he purchased real estate outside of Willits, California, it included an easement by implication and necessity that had been used by plaintiff’s predecessors-in-interest for over forty years. However, defendants blocked plaintiff’s ability to use the easement.

Successful representation of Canadian clients in a $2,500,000.00 winery purchase. Our Canadian clients requested assistance in a 2.5 million dollar winery purchase in Sonoma County.

Successful representation of a client in a $950,000.00 real estate purchase. Our client requested assistance in the purchase of commercial real estate in Santa Rosa for $950,000.00. We also created an LLC for the purchaser.

Favorable resolution of a fraud and nondisclosure real estate case. We successfully represented a purchaser of a residential home on 160 acres on the Eel River, who was the victim of fraud and nondisclosure.

Successful resolution of an easement dispute between a seller, the purchasers, and a title insurance company. We favorably resolved a dispute between a real property seller, a neighbor and a nationally known title insurance company. Our clients, the plaintiffs, had purchased a real property from defendants in which an easement had not been correctly described.

Successful resolution of a highly emotional partition of real estate case between brother and sister.