Stephen J. Donell named partition referee for Los Angeles property sale

A Los Angeles Superior Court has appointed Stephen J. Donell to oversee the sale of a co-owned property on Tabor Street in a partition case. The court-supervised process gives Donell authority to manage the property, coordinate the sale and recommend how proceeds should be distributed.

Why it matters: - The appointment gives the court a neutral process to resolve a co-ownership dispute over real estate that the owners could not settle themselves. - A partition sale can force a clear outcome when co-owners disagree on whether to keep, divide or sell property.

What happened: - The Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles selected Stephen J. Donell as partition referee for 10810 Tabor Street, Los Angeles, California 90034. - The case is Jorge Guzman v. Alejandro Jorge Guzman, Case No. 25STCV33219, before the Honorable Virginia Keeny. - The court’s amended order gives Donell full authority to partition the property by sale. - The selection date cited in the release is 08/31/2026.

The details: - Donell will set the listing price using market data. - Donell will retain licensed real estate brokers for the sale. - Donell will manage and preserve the property during the process. - Donell will execute closing documents. - Donell will present the proposed sale to the court for confirmation. - Donell will oversee the final accounting tied to the property. - Donell will evaluate competing claims for reimbursements, credits and other adjustments. - Donell will recommend how net proceeds should be distributed after the sale. - California partition actions provide a court-supervised path when multiple owners cannot agree on how property should be sold. - A partition referee acts as a neutral third party responsible for management, sale coordination, accounting and reporting to the court.

Between the lines: - The appointment points to a common court remedy in property disputes where deadlock among co-owners blocks a private resolution. - The referee role is designed to reduce conflict by shifting sale decisions and accounting issues to a neutral court officer.

What's next: - Donell is expected to carry out the sale process under the court’s order and submit the transaction for confirmation. - The court will review the final accounting and proposed distribution before proceeds are paid out. - Any remaining disputes over reimbursements or credits will be handled through the court-supervised process.

The bottom line: - The Los Angeles court has put Stephen J. Donell in charge of a partition sale that could end a co-ownership standoff over a Tabor Street property.