Note: BCP Real Estate is not a law firm and its employees/owners are not acting as your attorneys. The information contained on this website is provided for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter.
Few things rattle a person like a knock at the door from a constable or sheriff’s deputy handing over legal papers. The instinct is to assume the worst. So let’s start with what this usually is and isn’t, because the reality is far less frightening than the moment feels.
Being served over property taxes is a civil matter, not a criminal one. No one is being arrested, and it isn’t a scam, even though scammers do imitate this kind of thing. What you’ve most likely received is a citation along with an Original Petition, the document that opens a lawsuit to collect delinquent property taxes on a piece of real estate. If the property is one you inherited, your name is probably on it because the county identified you as an heir of the previous owner.
The papers matter, so don’t throw them away and don’t ignore them. They tell you which property is involved, which taxing entities are suing, and that there is a deadline to respond. Ignoring a citation doesn’t make the case disappear; it generally allows it to move forward without your input, which is the opposite of what you want. Reading the documents carefully, and noting any dates, is the first sensible step.
From there, you have choices. You can talk to an attorney about responding to the suit and clearing the title. You can contact the taxing authority about what’s owed and whether a payment arrangement is possible. Or, if the property is inherited and you’d rather not take on the fight or the bill, you can sell your share. Selling your portion removes your name from the lawsuit without requiring the other heirs to agree or act.
A couple of questions we hear a lot:
Am I in legal trouble for not paying taxes I didn’t even know about? No. This is a civil suit to collect on the property, not a criminal charge against you personally. The goal of the case is the unpaid taxes, not punishment.
The papers list me with relatives I barely know. Why? Because the county named the heirs it could identify after the original owner died. You’re listed as a co-owner of the inherited property, which is also why you can resolve your own share independently of the others.
If you’re looking to remove yourself from a lawsuit and get paid for your interest, no cost to you, call or text us at (469) 708-8003 for an offer today.
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