COMMITTEE ON RULES AND JUDICIARY

BILL NO. 29-0033

Twenty-Ninth Legislature of the Virgin Islands

March 11, 2011

An Act amending title 28 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 21 enacting the Virgin Islands
Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act

PROPOSED BY: Senator Louis Patrick Hill

1 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the Virgin Islands:

2 SECTION 1. Title 28 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 21 is amended by

3 designating the existing provisions as subchapter I and adding a subchapter II that reads

4 as follows:

5 “SUBCHAPTER II VIRGIN ISLANDS UNFORM PARTITION OF HEIRS

6 PROPERTY ACT

7 § 501. This chapter may be cited as “The Virgin Islands Uniform Partition of Heirs

8 Property Act”.

9 §502. As used in this subchapter the term---

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1 (1) “Ascendant” means an individual who precedes another individual in

2 lineage, in the direct line of ascent from the other individual.

3 (2) “Collateral” means an individual who is related to another individual

4 under the law of intestate succession of this Territory, but who is not the other

5 individual’s ascendant or descendant.

6 (3) “Descendant” means an individual who follows another individual in

7 lineage, in the direct line of descent from the other individual.

8 (4) “Determination of value” means a court order determining the fair market

9 value of heirs property under section 506 or 510 or adopting the valuation of the property

10 agreed to by all cotenants.

11 (5) “Heirs property” means real property held in tenancy in common which

12 satisfies all of the following requirements as of the filing of a partition action:

13 (A) There is no agreement in a record binding all the cotenants which governs

14 the partition of the property;

15 (B) One or more of the cotenants acquired title from a relative, whether living

16 or deceased; and

17 (C) Any of the following applies:

18 (i) 20 percent or more of the interests are held by cotenants who are

19 relatives;

20 (ii) 20 percent or more of the interests are held by an individual who

21 acquired title from a relative, whether living or deceased; or

22 (iii) 20 percent or more of the cotenants are relatives.

23 (6) “Other law” means law of the Virgin Islands other than the provisions of

24 this subchapter.

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1 (7) “Partition by sale” means a court-ordered sale of the entire heirs property,

2 whether by auction, sealed bids, or open-market sale conducted under section 510.

3 (8) “Partition in kind” means the division of heirs property into physically

4 distinct and separately titled parcels.

5 (9) “Record” means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that

6 is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form.

7 (10) “Relative” means an ascendant, descendant, or collateral or an individual

8 otherwise related to another individual by blood, marriage, adoption, or other law

9 (11) “Territory” means the Virgin Islands, as described in section 2(a) of the

10 Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands, 48 U.S.C. §1541(a).

11 §503. [Applicability; relation to other law]

12 (a) This subchapter applies to partition actions filed pursuant to subchapter 1

13 of this chapter on or after the effective date of this subchapter.

14 (b) In an action to partition real property under subchapter 1 of this chapter,

15 the court shall determine whether the property is heirs property. If the court determines

16 that the property is heirs property, the property must be partitioned under this subchapter

17 unless all of the cotenants otherwise agree in a record.

18 (c) This subchapter supplements subchapter 1 and, if an action is governed by

19 this subchapter, replaces provisions of subchapter 1 which are inconsistent with this

20 subchapter.

21 §504. [Service; notice by posting]

22 (a) This subchapter does not limit or affect the method by which service of a

23 complaint in a partition action may be made.

24 (b) If the plaintiff in a partition action seeks an order of notice by publication

25 and the court determines that the property may be heirs property, the plaintiff, not later

26 than 10 days after the court’s determination, shall post and maintain while the action is
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1 pending a conspicuous sign on the property that is the subject of the action. The sign

2 must state that the action has commenced and identify the name and address of the court

3 and the common designation by which the property is known. The court may require the

4 plaintiff to publish on the sign the name of the plaintiff and the known defendants.

5 §505. [Referees]

6 If the court appoints referees pursuant section 458, each referee, in addition to the

7 requirements and disqualifications applicable to referees in must be disinterested and

8 impartial and not a party to or a participant in the action.

9 §506. [Determination of value]

10 (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (b) and (c), if the court

11 determines that the property that is the subject of a partition action is heirs property, the

12 court shall determine the fair market value of the property by ordering an appraisal

13 pursuant to subsection (d).

14 (b) If all cotenants have agreed to the value of the property or to another

15 method of valuation, the court shall adopt that value or the value produced by the agreed

16 method of valuation.

17 (c) If the court determines that the evidentiary value of an appraisal is

18 outweighed by the cost of the appraisal, the court, after an evidentiary hearing, shall

19 determine the fair market value of the property and send notice to the parties of the value.

20 (d) If the court orders an appraisal, the court shall appoint a disinterested real

21 estate appraiser licensed in the Territory to determine the fair market value of the

22 property assuming sole ownership of the fee simple estate. On completion of the

23 appraisal, the appraiser shall file a sworn or verified appraisal with the court.

24 (e) If an appraisal is conducted pursuant to subsection (d), not later than 10

25 days after the appraisal is filed, the court shall send notice to each party with a known

26 address, stating:
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1 (1) the appraised fair market value of the property;

2 (2) that the appraisal is available at the clerk’s office; and

3 (3) that a party may file with the court an objection to the appraisal not later

4 than 30 days after the notice is sent, stating the grounds for the objection.

5 (f) If an appraisal is filed with the court pursuant to subsection (d), the court

6 shall conduct a hearing to determine the fair market value of the property not sooner than

7 30 days after a copy of the notice of the appraisal is sent to each party under subsection

8 (e), whether or not an objection to the appraisal is filed under subsection (e) (3). In

9 addition to the court-ordered appraisal, the court may consider any other evidence of

10 value offered by a party.

11 (g) After a hearing under subsection (f), but before considering the merits of

12 the partition action, the court shall determine the fair market value of the property and

13 send notice to the parties of the value.

14 §507. [Cotenant buyout]

15 (a) If any cotenant requested partition by sale, after the determination of value

16 under section 506, the court shall send notice to the parties that any cotenant except a

17 cotenant that requested partition by sale may buy all the interests of the cotenants that

18 requested partition by sale.

19 (b) Not later than 45 days after the notice is sent under subsection (a), any

20 cotenant except a cotenant that requested partition by sale may give notice to the court

21 that it elects to buy all the interests of the cotenants that requested partition by sale.

22 (c) The purchase price for each of the interests of a cotenant that requested

23 partition by sale is the value of the entire parcel determined under Section 6 multiplied by

24 the cotenant’s fractional ownership of the entire parcel.

25 (d) After expiration of the period in subsection (b), the following rules apply:

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1 (1) If only one cotenant elects to buy all the interests of the cotenants that

2 requested partition by sale, the court shall notify all the parties of that fact.

3 (2) If more than one cotenant elects to buy all the interests of the cotenants

4 that requested partition by sale, the court shall allocate the right to buy those interests

5 among the electing cotenants based on each electing cotenant’s existing fractional

6 ownership of the entire parcel divided by the total existing fractional ownership of all

7 cotenants electing to buy and send notice to all the parties of that fact and of the price to

8 be paid by each electing cotenant.

9 (3) If no cotenant elects to buy all the interests of the cotenants that requested

10 partition by sale, the court shall send notice to all the parties of that fact and resolve the

11 partition action under section 508(a) and (b).

12 (e) If the court sends notice to the parties under subsection (d) (1) or (2), the

13 court shall set a date, not sooner than 90 days after the date the notice was sent, by which

14 electing cotenants must pay their apportioned price into the court. After this date, the

15 following rules apply:

16 (1) If all electing cotenants timely pay their apportioned price into court, the

17 court shall issue an order reallocating all the interests of the cotenants and disburse the

18 amounts held by the court to the persons entitled to them.

19 (2) If no electing cotenant timely pays its apportioned price, the court shall

20 resolve the partition action under section 508(a) and (b) as if the interests of the cotenants

21 that requested partition by sale were not purchased.

22 (3) If one or more but not all of the electing cotenants fail to pay their

23 apportioned price on time, the court shall give notice to the electing cotenants that paid

24 their apportioned price of the interest remaining and the price for all that interest.

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1 (f) Not later than 30 days after the court gives notice pursuant to subsection

2 (e) (3), any cotenant that paid may elect to purchase all of the remaining interest by

3 paying the entire price into the court. After the 30-day period, the following rules apply:

4 (1) If only one cotenant pays the entire price for the remaining interest, the

5 court shall issue an order reallocating the remaining interest to that cotenant. The court

6 shall issue promptly an order reallocating the interests of all of the cotenants and disburse

7 the amounts held by it to the persons entitled to them.

8 (2) If no cotenant pays the entire price for the remaining interest, the court

9 shall resolve the partition action under section 508(a) and (b) as if the interests of the

10 cotenants that requested partition by sale were not purchased.

11 (3) If more than one cotenant pays the entire price for the remaining interest,

12 the court shall reapportion the remaining interest among those paying cotenants, based on

13 each paying cotenant’s original fractional ownership of the entire parcel divided by the

14 total original fractional ownership of all cotenants that paid the entire price for the

15 remaining interest. The court shall issue promptly an order reallocating all of the

16 cotenants’ interests, disburse the amounts held by it to the persons entitled to them, and

17 promptly refund any excess payment held by the court.

18 (g) Not later than 45 days after the court sends notice to the parties pursuant to

19 subsection (a), any cotenant entitled to buy an interest under this section may request the

20 court to authorize the sale as part of the pending action of the interests of cotenants

21 named as defendants and served with the complaint but that did not appear in the action.

22 (h) If the court receives a timely request under subsection (g), the court, after

23 hearing, may deny the request or authorize the requested additional sale on such terms as

24 the court determines are fair and reasonable, subject to the following limitations:

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1 (1) A sale authorized under this subsection may occur only after the purchase

2 prices for all interests subject to sale under subsections (a) through (f) have been paid into

3 court and those interests have been reallocated among the cotenants as provided in those

4 subsections; and

5 (2) The purchase price for the interest of a nonappearing cotenant is based on

6 the court’s determination of value under section 506.

7 §508. [Partition alternatives]

8 (a) If all the interests of all cotenants that requested partition by sale are not

9 purchased by other cotenants pursuant to section 507, or if after conclusion of the buyout

10 under section 507, there remains a cotenant who has requested partition in kind, the court

11 shall order partition in kind unless the court, after consideration of the factors listed in

12 section 509, finds that partition in kind will result in great prejudice to the cotenants as a

13 group. In considering whether to order partition in kind, the court shall approve a request

14 by two or more parties to have their individual interests aggregated.

15 (b) If the court does not order partition in kind under subsection (a), the court

16 shall order partition by sale pursuant to section 510 or, if no cotenant requested partition

17 by sale, the court shall dismiss the action.

18 (c) If the court orders partition in kind pursuant to subsection (a), the court

19 may require that one or more cotenants pay one or more other cotenants amounts so that

20 the payments, taken together with the value of the in-kind distributions to the cotenants,

21 will make the partition in kind just and proportionate in value to the fractional interests

22 held.

23 (d) If the court orders partition in kind, the court shall allocate to the cotenants

24 that are unknown, unlocatable, or the subject of a default judgment if their interests were

25 not bought out pursuant to section 507, a part of the property representing the combined

26 interests of these cotenants as determined by the court and shall order that this part of the
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1 property remain undivided.

2 §509. [Considerations for partition in kind]

3 (a) In determining under section 508(a) whether partition in kind would result in

4 great prejudice to the cotenants as a group, the court shall consider the following:

5 (1) whether the heirs property practicably can be divided among the

6 cotenants;

7 (2) whether partition in kind would apportion the property in such a way that

8 the aggregate fair market value of the parcels resulting from the division would be

9 materially less than the value of the property if it were sold as a whole, taking into

10 account the condition under which a court-ordered sale likely would occur;

11 (3) evidence of the collective duration of ownership or possession of the

12 property by a cotenant and one or more predecessors in title or predecessors in possession

13 to the cotenant who are or were relatives of the cotenant or each other;

14 (4) a cotenant’s sentimental attachment to the property, including any

15 attachment arising because the property has ancestral or other unique or special value to

16 the cotenant;

17 (5) the lawful use being made of the property by a cotenant and the degree to

18 which the cotenant would be harmed if the cotenant could not continue the same use of

19 the property;

20 (6) the degree to which the cotenants have contributed their pro rata share of

21 the property taxes, insurance, and other expenses associated with maintaining ownership

22 of the property or have contributed to the physical improvement, maintenance, or upkeep

23 of the property; and

24 (7) any other relevant factor.

25 (b) The court may not consider any one factor in subsection (a) to be

26 dispositive without weighing the totality of all relevant factors and circumstances
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1 §510. Open-market sale, sealed bids, or auction]

2 (a) If the court orders a sale of heirs property, notwithstanding section 476 of

3 this chapter, the sale must be an open-market sale, unless the court finds that a sale by

4 sealed bids or an auction would be more economically advantageous and in the best

5 interest of the cotenants as a group.

6 (b) If the court orders an open-market sale and the parties, not later than 10

7 days after the entry of the order, agree on a real estate broker licensed in the Territory to

8 offer the property for sale, the court shall appoint the broker and establish a reasonable

9 commission. If the parties do not agree on a broker, the court shall appoint a

10 disinterested real estate broker licensed in this Territory to offer the property for sale and

11 shall establish a reasonable commission. The broker shall offer the property for sale in a

12 commercially reasonable manner at a price no lower than the determination of value and

13 on the terms and conditions established by the court.

14 (c) If the broker appointed under subsection (b) obtains within a reasonable

15 time an offer to purchase the property for at least the determination of value:

16 (1) The broker shall comply with the reporting requirements in section 511;

17 and

18 (2) The sale may be completed in accordance with other law.

19 (d) If the broker appointed under subsection (b) does not obtain within a

20 reasonable time an offer to purchase the property for at least the determination of value,

21 the court, after hearing, may:

22 (1) approve the highest outstanding offer, if any;

23 (2) redetermine the value of the property and order that the property continue

24 to be offered for an additional time; or

25 (3) order that the property be sold by sealed bids or at an auction.

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1 (e) If the court orders a sale by sealed bids or an auction, the court shall set

2 terms and conditions of the sale. If the court orders an auction, the auction must be

3 conducted pursuant to section 476 of this chapter.

4 (f) If a purchaser is entitled to a share of the proceeds of the sale, the

5 purchaser is entitled to a credit against the price in an amount equal to the purchaser’s

6 share of the proceeds.

7 §511. [Report of open-market sale]

8 (a) A broker appointed under section 510(b) to offer heirs property for open-

9 market sale shall file a report with the court not later than seven days after receiving an

10 offer to purchase the property for at least the value determined under section 506 or 510.

11 (b) The report required by subsection (a) must contain the following

12 information:

13 (1) A description of the property to be sold to each buyer;

14 (2) The name of each buyer;

15 (3) The proposed purchase price;

16 (4) The terms and conditions of the proposed sale, including the terms of any

17 owner financing;

18 (5) The amounts to be paid to lien holders;

19 (6) A statement of contractual or other arrangements or conditions of the

20 broker’s commission; and

21 (7) Other material facts relevant to the sale.

22 §512. [Uniformity of application and construction]

23 In applying and construing this subchapter, consideration must be given to the

24 need to promote uniformity of the law with respect to its subject matter among

25 jurisdictions that enact it.”

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1 §513. [Relation to Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act]

2 This subchapter modifies, limits, and supersedes the Electronic Signatures in

3 Global and National Commerce Act, 15 U.S.C. Section 7001 et seq., but does not modify,

4 limit, or supersede section 101(c) of that act, 15 U.S.C. Section 7001(c), or authorize

5 electronic delivery of any of the notices described in section 103(b) of that act, 15 U.S.C.

6 Section 7003(b).

7 SECTION 2. This section takes effect 180 days after enactment.

8 This bill enacts Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act. Under the Uniform
9 Partition of Heirs Property Act, family-owned, ancestral property owned under a tenancy
10 in common is referred to as “heirs property.” Most family land is owned under a
11 structure know a tenancy in common, in which two or more people who inherit or are
12 conveyed a parcel of property and acquire undivided interests in the property as tenants
13 in common.
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15 The tenant- in-common form of ownership is generally considered a risky form of
16 ownership, and that risk is often greater for many families who own heirs property. If a
17 cotenant conveys, whether for compensation or as gift, or devises his or her interest in
18 tenancy-in-common property to an outside party, the acquiring party – no matter how
19 small that cotenant’s undivided interest may be – can exercise the right any cotenant
20 possesses to file a partition action and request the court to order the property be sold at a
21 forced partition sale against the express wishes of the other cotenants.
22
23 This proposed act establishes a hierarchy of remedies for use in those partition
24 actions involving heirs property. The remedies are designed to help those who own heirs
25 property to maintain ownership of their property when possible or to insure at the very
26 least that any court-ordered sale of the property is conducted under commercially
27 reasonable circumstances that will protect the owners from losing substantial wealth upon
28 the sale of their property. Often in response to a petition from heirs of a deceased co-
29 tenant, the court orders the sale of the property. Often the sale does not meet market
30 value. Under existing partition of real property law, the sale of the property must be
31 conducted by public auction to the highest bidder.
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33 Under this proposed Uniform Law, the court is required order an open-market
34 sale, unless the court finds that a sale by sealed bids or an auction would be more
35 economically advantageous and in the best interest of the cotenants as a group. Under the
36 open-market sale, the court appoints a licensed broker and sets a reasonable commission
37 for the broker, who must offer the property for sale in a commercially reasonable manner
38 at a price no lower than the determination of value and on the terms and conditions
39 established by the court.
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41 Under this bill, courts will use the Act’s provisions to determine if tenancy in
42 common property is heirs property that must be partitioned in accordance with the act.
43 The bill provides the procedures by which notice is provided to cotenants and appraisers
44 and brokers are hired. The bill also mandates that any commissioners, referees that are
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1 appointed by the court must be disinterested. The bill provides a supplementary

2 mechanism for existing territorial partition law (See 28 V.I.C., ch. 21) to help preserve
3 the character and integrity of family-owned property and to protect a family’s property-
4 based wealth while still allowing a fair partition action to proceed.
5
6 In explaining why states should adopt the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property
7 Act, the Act’s Drafting Committee wrote:
8

9 Overall, court-ordered forced partition sales have resulted in many

10 families losing both their real property and a substantial amount of
11 their wealth. In addition to the often severe economic loss upon
12 the forced sale of their property, many families who own heirs
13 property also lose substantial noneconomic, intrinsic value
14 associated with the property. Noneconomic value can be
15 substantial in cases in which the property possesses strong
16 ancestral or historical significance for family members, has been
17 used as shelter by some family members (including instances
18 where no other viable housing alternatives exist), or has served for
19 a long time as the location for a family-owned business.

20 Sophisticated property owners with access to trust and estate

21 attorneys, business planners, and other professional assistance, can
22 avoid or mitigate the harsh consequences of a forced partition sale
23 by structuring agreements with their fellow cotenants to contract
24 around the default rules of the tenancy in common, or by
25 reorganizing their property ownership into an entirely different and
26 more stable ownership structure. Low- to moderate-income heirs
27 property owners, on the other hand, do not have access in most
28 cases to similar professional assistance and are particularly
29 vulnerable to predatory speculation. Most such owners are not
30 even aware that their property is in jeopardy until a partition action
31 is already underway because the default rules of the tenancy in
32 common form can be counterintuitive in important ways for the
33 typical property owner.

34 In 2010, the Uniform Law Commission promulgated the Uniform

35 Partition of Heirs Property Act to provide a fair, common-sense
36 solution to the risks posed to those who own heirs property. The
37 Act does not displace existing partition law for non-heirs property
38 and it does not prohibit a party from petitioning for a partition by
39 sale. . . . Overall, the Act provides cotenants with many of the
40 protections and rights commonly found in private agreements
41 governing the partition of tenancy-in-common property. In
42 particular, the Act:

43 ● Defines heirs property affected by the Act, provides special

44 notice provisions for partition actions involving heirs property,
45 provides for the selection and appointment of disinterested
46 commissioners (called referees), appraisers, and brokers, and sets
47 forth the associated considerations and timelines.
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1 ● Provides cotenants that do not seek partition by sale with a right

2 to buy out those that do petition for a forced sale, granting
3 cotenants that wish to preserve the property an ability to maintain
4 ownership on an ongoing basis. Upon motion of a cotenant
5 entitled to buyout another cotenant that petitioned for sale, the
6 court also has discretion to conduct a second buyout of the
7 interests of those other cotenants named as defendants who were
8 served with the complaint but did not appear in the action,
9 provided that the first buyout has been completed and that the
10 purchase price for interests of non-appearing cotenants is based
11 upon the court-determined value of the property. Such a second
12 buyout could help in many cases to make partition in kind of the
13 property more feasible and to consolidate ownership of the
14 property to facilitate more rational management of the property
15 over time.

16 ● In those instances in which a buyout fails or there is still a

17 cotenant who seeks a partition in kind (physical division of the
18 property) after a successful buyout, the Act maintains the current,
19 widespread statutory preference for a partition in kind as opposed
20 to a partition by sale. In such instances, the Act requires a court to
21 consider certain specified economic and noneconomic factors
22 when determining whether partition in kind would result in great or
23 manifest prejudice to the cotenants as a group thereby justifying a
24 partition by sale. If partition in kind would result in great or
25 manifest prejudice to the cotenants, (a) the court may order a sale
26 if any cotenant requested partition by sale or (b) if no cotenant
27 requested partition by sale, the court shall dismiss the partition
28 action.

29 The Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act provides an

30 important addition to states’ laws governing partition for heirs
31 property, and provides heirs property owners with significant
32 protections against unexpected and often devastating predatory
33 speculation, including protections that wealthy property owners
34 often have secured through private agreement. The Act will assist
35 heirs property owners, particularly (but not exclusively) low- to
36 moderate-income heirs owners, with preserving the integrity and
37 value of property that has both economic and strong familial
38 significance. It should be adopted in every state as soon as
39 practicable.

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43 BR11-0547/February 16, 2011/YLT
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