Dispossessory actions, more commonly referred to as landlord/tenant or eviction actions, serve as the legal process that a landlord must pursue to remove a tenant from their leased property. Eviction actions can arise for several reasons, including a tenant’s failure to pay rent, a breach of the provisions of a written lease, or continued possession of the leased property beyond the term of the lease agreement. 

Evictions are unique in that they occur in both the residential and commercial contexts. In either situation, it is important to understand that dispossessory actions require a great deal of oversight due to unique pitfalls created by their specialized legal procedure and timeline. Non-compliance with these specific procedures and timelines may result in the dismissal of a landlord’s case, while a tenant may receive an adverse judgment with little room for recourse. 

Additionally, while commercial and residential dispossessory actions share many similarities, it is important to understand that these actions also have significant differences that may affect the goals of the parties as well as the legal strategy.