property

quiet title action

A quiet title action is a lawsuit asking a court to determine who owns a property and to remove claims or clouds on the title. It is used to resolve problems such as unclear heirs, old unreleased liens, boundary disputes, or claims of adverse possession. Once the court rules, its judgment settles ownership against the parties involved, producing a clear, marketable title.

Exam tip
Quiet title action is the court remedy for a cloud on title, and it is often how an adverse possessor obtains record title.
Example
After living on and paying taxes for a vacant lot for the statutory period, a neighbor files a quiet title action to become the record owner.

Related terms & state variants

Sources

Source verification pending. Confirm current requirements with your state regulator.

Last verified: 2026-10-23