- (1) A record interest holder may petition a court to nullify a fraudulent deed and record a lis pendens on a property affected by the fraudulent deed.
(2) A petition described in Subsection (1) shall:
- (a) state with specificity that the deed is a fraudulent deed; and
- (b) be supported by a sworn affidavit of the record interest holder.
(3)
- (a) A court considering a petition described in Subsection (1) may dismiss the petition without a hearing, if the court finds the petition insufficient.
- (b) If the court dismisses a petition as described in Subsection (3)(a), the court shall include the reason for dismissing the petition in the order of dismissal.
- (c) If the court finds the petition sufficient, the court shall schedule a hearing within 10 days after the day on which the petition is filed for the purpose of determining whether the deed is a fraudulent deed.
- (d) The record interest holder shall serve a copy of the petition and a copy of the notice of the hearing on the purported grantee and, if known to the record interest holder, the purported grantor.
- (e) The purported grantor and purported grantee may attend the hearing described in Subsection (3)(c) to contest the petition.
(4) A proceeding under this section:
- (a) may only determine whether a document is a fraudulent deed; and
- (b) may not determine any other property or legal rights of the parties or restrict other legal remedies of any party.
(5)
(a) If, after the hearing described in Subsection (3), a court determines that a deed is a fraudulent deed:
(i) the court shall:
- (A) issue an order declaring the fraudulent deed void ab initio and the fraudulent deed provides no conveyance of any interest in real property;
- (B) in the order described in Subsection (5)(a)(i)(A), include a legal description of the property and a reference to the recording of the fraudulent deed; and
- (C) award costs and reasonable attorney fees to the petitioner; and
- (ii) the record interest holder shall submit a certified copy of the order, containing a legal description of the real property, to the county recorder for recording.
(b) If, after the hearing described in Subsection (3), a court determines that the deed is not a fraudulent deed:
(i) the court:
- (A) shall dismiss the petition;
- (B) may award costs and reasonable attorney fees to the purported grantor and purported grantee; and
- (C) shall include in the dismissal order a legal description of the property; and
- (ii) the purported grantor or purported grantee shall record a certified copy of the dismissal order.
- (6) If a petition under this section contains a claim for damages, a court may not expedite the proceedings related to the claim for damages.
Enacted by Chapter 188, 2024 General Session