HB 1439 Maryland House of Delegates · 2026 Regular Session

Real Property - Partition of Property - Liens and Purchase Price Adjustments

HB 1439 amends Maryland law governing property partition actions to clarify lien notification and adjust purchase prices for cotenants (co-owners). It requires parties to notify courts of outstanding liens (like mortgages or tax liens) if they don’t obtain a title report, and mandates courts to adjust purchase prices based on actual costs (e.g., property taxes, maintenance) or income (e.g., rent) incurred by a cotenant without equitable distribution. These adjustments must be supported by documentation and allow all cotenants to review the proposed price or request a hearing. The bill applies only to partition cases filed after October 1, 2026, and directly affects co-owners resolving property division disputes.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 13, 2026 Last action Mar 25, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

First - Real Property - Partition of Property - Liens and Purchase Price Adjustments Third - Real Property - Partition of Property - Liens and Purchase Price Adjustments · 4 edits
MODERATE
This bill adds procedural requirements for partition of property cases in Maryland, including a new requirement for cotenants to notify the court of outstanding liens if a title report is not required, and clarifies how courts should adjust purchase prices when cotenants have incurred costs or earned income from the property without equitable distribution to other cotenants.
Scope change
The bill applies prospectively to partition actions filed on or after October 1, 2026, and does not affect cases filed before that date.
REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement for parties to notify the court of outstanding liens (mortgages, deeds of trust, tax liens, and judgment liens) if a title report is not required in partition actions.

Modified the purchase price adjustment process to clarify that courts must consider necessary costs (property taxes, insurance, maintenance) and income earned (rental income) that were not equitably distributed among cotenants.

TIMELINE

Added a new effective date of October 1, 2026, for the Act's provisions.

TECHNICAL

Added committee report and house action status information indicating the bill was favorably amended and adopted.

Floor votes · House of Delegates Mar 11, 2026

How they voted

1380
Passed · 4 other
Total votes 142
Mar 11, 2026
D Democratic103
100 Yea 3
97% Yea
R Republican39
38 Yea 1
97% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
9
Key actions
4
Committee
4
Mar 23, 2026
Committee
Referred Judicial Proceedings
upper
Mar 23, 2026
Lower · Passed
Third Reading Passed
lower
Mar 21, 2026
Lower · Passed
Favorable with Amendments {
lower
Mar 21, 2026
Lower · Passed
Favorable with Amendments Report by Economic Matters
lower
Mar 11, 2026
House Of Delegates · Passed
House of Delegates Vote: pass (138-0-4)
house of delegates
Feb 13, 2026
Committee
First Reading Economic Matters
lower
14 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors