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§ 680.320.Real Property

Title 9. Enforcement of Judgments · Division 1 · Chapter 1. Short Title and Definitions · Enacted 1982 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026

In one sentenceSection 680.320 defines real property to include any right in real property, expressly naming a leasehold interest as an example, extending judgment enforcement beyond fee ownership to reach lesser real property interests a debtor may hold.

Full Text of § 680.320

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"Real property" includes any right in real property, including but not limited to a leasehold interest in real property.

Plain-English Summary

Not every debtor who has valuable real estate holdings owns land outright. Some hold a leasehold -- the right to occupy and use property for a term of years -- and this section makes clear that kind of interest still counts as "real property" for enforcement purposes, not something categorically excluded because it falls short of full ownership.

The phrase "any right in real property" is doing the heavy lifting, with the leasehold example illustrating rather than limiting the scope. Easements, life estates, and other lesser real property interests can fall within this definition as well, so a judgment creditor evaluating what real estate-related assets a debtor holds needs to look past bare fee ownership.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does "real property" under the Enforcement of Judgments Law only mean owning land outright?

No. Section 680.320 defines it to include any right in real property, expressly giving a leasehold interest as one example of a covered right short of full ownership.

Can a judgment creditor reach a debtor's leasehold interest in real estate?

Because a leasehold interest falls within this definition of real property, it can potentially be reached through the enforcement procedures that apply to real property generally.

Amendment History

Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1364, Sec. 2. Operative July 1, 1983, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 1364.

Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature. Last verified July 28, 2026. · Official source
Also known as: real property definition california judgment enforcementleasehold interest judgment lien california