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New law lets domestic-violence survivors sever abuser's interest in joint contract-for-deed
Summary
Sen. Heather Gustafson said the law allows survivors to petition courts to extinguish a joint interest in a contract-for-deed when an abuser abandons the property and stops payments, giving survivors a path to keep homes they have been paying for.
Sen. Heather Gustafson said survivors who have remained equitable owners while an abuser held a joint contract‑for‑deed will be able to ask a court to extinguish the abuser's interest when the abuser abandons the property and stops making payments. "This new law provides a remedy for that," Gustafson said, explaining the statutory change aims to remove a legal barrier that kept survivors contractually tied to abusers.
Gustafson said the change helps survivors retain housing stability after abuse and that the measure received bipartisan support in both chambers. The law is intended to allow survivors to continue making payments on a home and avoid ongoing contractual ties to an abuser who has ceased their obligations.
