Lessons from real cases
Each page below is a generalized fact pattern drawn from public reporting. Names of private individuals are omitted. News coverage is not a determination of anyone’s legal status. Verify details against the linked source before relying on them.
Closed on a property and found someone already inside
Purchase and occupancy can be separate facts. Confirming who is inside is not the same as deciding which process applies.
Owner changed locks; occupant claimed a right to stay
Self-help lockouts can create exposure even when the owner believes the occupant has no legitimate claim.
A short-term booking ended and someone remained
Platform cancellation and local booking rules do not, by themselves, decide possession.
After a tenant died, someone claimed a relationship
A family connection is a fact to record. It is not, by itself, a conclusion about occupancy rights.
A vacant Atlanta-metro property drew repeated occupancy reports
Police citations and civil possession can move on different tracks. Georgia sources are on the state page.
Occupant says they paid someone else for access
A payment to a third party and a document that looks official are facts. They do not settle who holds title.