Holt v. Brock
The court held that a real-estate broker appointed by the trial court to list and sell partitioned property is entitled to quasi-judicial immunity because the broker performs discretionary, integral functions of the court's equitable partition process as an arm of the court rather than an advocate, and therefore the plaintiff's breach-of-fiduciary-duty and tort claims were properly dismissed on summary judgment.
Date Filed: November 21, 2022
Case Name: Holt v. Brock
Case Number: C091636
Court: California Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District
The Court of Appeal holds that a real‑estate broker appointed by a trial court to list and sell partitioned property is protected by quasi‑judicial immunity, because the broker performs discretionary functions that are integral to the court’s equitable partition process and acts as an arm of the court rather than as an advocate for either party. Accordingly, the appellate court affirms the trial court’s summary‑judgment dismissal of the plaintiff’s breach‑of‑fiduciary‑duty and tort claims against the broker. This ruling extends quasi‑judicial immunity to court‑appointed brokers in partition sales, shielding them from civil liability and encouraging qualified professionals to accept such judicial appointments.
This case summary was prepared for educational purposes. For the authoritative version, please refer to the full opinion or the official California Courts website.