2012 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 52 - Civil Actions
Chapter 919 - Partition or Sale of Real or Personal Property
Section 52-500 - Sale or equitable distribution of real or personal property owned by two or more persons. Life estate.

(a) Any court of equitable jurisdiction may, upon the complaint of any person interested, order the sale of any property, real or personal, owned by two or more persons, when, in the opinion of the court, a sale will better promote the interests of the owners. If the court determines that one or more of the persons owning such real or personal property have only a minimal interest in such property and a sale would not promote the interests of the owners, the court may order such equitable distribution of such property, with payment of just compensation to the owners of such minimal interest, as will better promote the interests of the owners.

(b) The provisions of this section shall extend to and include land owned by two or more persons, when the whole or a part of the land is vested in any person for life with remainder to his heirs, general or special, or, on failure of the heirs, to any other person, whether the land, or any part thereof, is held in trust or otherwise. A conveyance made pursuant to a decree ordering a sale of the land shall vest the title in the purchaser thereof, and shall bind the person entitled to the life estate and his legal heirs and any other person having a remainder interest in the lands. The court issuing the decree shall make such order in relation to the investment of the proceeds of the sale as it deems necessary for the security of all persons having any interest in such land.

(1949 Rev., S. 8236; P.A. 82-160, S. 190; P.A. 04-93, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 82-160 replaced “estate” with “property”, rephrased the section and inserted Subsec. indicators; P.A. 04-93 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provision re equitable distribution of property with payment of just compensation to owners having minimal interest.

Cited. 2 CA 456. Cited. 5 CA 142. Cited. 7 CA 522. Cited. 20 CA 492. Cited. 23 CA 460. Section confers authority on Superior Court to order partition and sale upon the complaint of any person interested. 50 CA 132. Trial court may order plaintiff to execute a quitclaim deed to defendant and defendant to pay money damages to plaintiff. 54 CA 444. Where intergenerational transfer of family real property at end of grantor’s life, court has discretion to order private or public sale. 65 CA 813.

Partition by sale is matter of discretion. 9 CS 136. Cited. 13 CS 131. Cited. 14 CS 169; Id., 386. Wife’s special defense to plaintiff husband’s partition action of premises alleged to be in possession of both as joint tenants that the parties are separated, divorce action is pending and that by agreement defendant and children are in possession pending entry of final judgment in divorce action is not subject to demurrer. 28 CS 230. Power to order sale of jointly owned property rests on same ground as power to order partition and operative unity of possession must be proved to warrant partition or sale. Id., 381. Cited. 29 CS 465. Cited. 42 CS 36.

Cited. 4 Conn. Cir. Ct. 654.

Subsec. (a):

Cited. 224 C. 219.

Cited. 17 CA 4.