Upon the completion of the publication and posting of the summons and its service or mailing as provided for in Section 751.10, the court has complete jurisdiction over the plaintiff and the property and the person of everyone having or claiming any estate, right, title, or interest in or to, or lien upon, all or any part of the property, and shall be deemed to have obtained the possession and control of the property for the purposes of the action with complete jurisdiction to render the judgment provided for in this chapter.
§ 751.11.Complete Jurisdiction of Court Over Plaintiff and Property and Person Claiming Interest
Title 10. Actions In Particular Cases · Chapter 3.5. Actions to Re-establish Destroyed Land Records · Last amended 1969 · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 751.11 gives the court complete jurisdiction over the plaintiff, the property, and everyone with any claimed interest or lien in it, along with deemed possession and control of the property, once publication, posting, and any required service or mailing under § 751.10 are complete.
Full Text of § 751.11
Plain-English Summary
This section marks the procedural pivot point of the whole action. Once publication, posting, and the service or mailing required by § 751.10 have all been completed, the court's jurisdiction snaps into place — not just over the plaintiff, but over the property itself and over every person who has or claims any estate, right, title, interest, or lien in any part of it, whether that person appeared or not.
The court is also deemed to have obtained possession and control of the property for purposes of the action. That combination — complete jurisdiction plus deemed possession and control — is what gives the court authority to render the judgment described in § 751.15, binding on everyone with a stake in the property, known or unknown.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the court obtain jurisdiction over unnamed or unknown claimants?
Upon completion of publication and posting of the summons, and any required personal service or mailing under § 751.10.
Does the court's jurisdiction extend to the property itself?
Yes. The court is deemed to have obtained possession and control of the property for purposes of the action.
What can the court do once this jurisdiction attaches?
It has complete jurisdiction to render the judgment described in § 751.15, which resolves every claimed interest in the property.
Amendment History
Amended by Stats. 1969, Ch. 1611.
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: court jurisdiction destroyed land records action