Real Estate Attorney in Lawrenceville, GA

Gwinnett County deed records are maintained by the Gwinnett County Superior Court Clerk's office at 75 Langley Drive in Lawrenceville. Deeds, security deeds, liens, and plats affecting Gwinnett County property are recorded and searchable there. A title examination typically searches these records back at least 50 years under Georgia's title standards. Older properties sometimes reveal problems, such as boundary questions, estate deed irregularities, or unreleased liens, that must be resolved before closing.

Georgia evictions follow the dispossessory statute and begin with a written demand for possession. For nonpayment under residential leases signed or renewed on or after July 1, 2024, the landlord must first give written notice allowing three business days to pay or leave. If the tenant does not comply, the landlord files a Dispossessory Affidavit in Gwinnett County Magistrate Court in Lawrenceville. The tenant has seven days to answer. If no answer is filed, the landlord can obtain a writ of possession by default. If the tenant answers, a hearing is scheduled. Uncontested cases are often resolved within three to six weeks of filing. Be careful about accepting rent after demanding possession, because it can waive the demand.

Title problems found after closing, such as unreleased liens, undisclosed easements, boundary encroachments, or defects from an estate sale, are handled differently depending on the issue and who is responsible. If you bought an owner's title insurance policy, the insurer must defend and indemnify you against covered defects. (The lender's policy protects only the lender.) If no title insurance was obtained (more common in cash purchases), your options depend on the source of the defect: claims against the closing attorney for negligent title examination, quiet title actions in Gwinnett County Superior Court to resolve ownership disputes, and lien release proceedings for improperly filed liens. We evaluate each post-closing title problem to identify the fastest and most cost-effective resolution path.

Properties inside Lawrenceville's city limits, including much of downtown, are governed by City of Lawrenceville zoning, while nearby unincorporated parcels are governed by Gwinnett County zoning. The first step is confirming which applies. Before purchasing or leasing commercial space in Lawrenceville, we confirm: the current zoning designation and permitted use list, whether any variances or special use permits are attached to the parcel, any deed restrictions limiting use, and whether the parcel has been annexed recently. In older commercial corridors, nonconforming uses are common, and a business that has operated in a space for years may be one a new owner cannot legally continue.