Posted by JAG on October 03, 2003 at 19:21:21:
I don’t think you can claim adverse possession, because your possession was never truly adverse to the owner (since you were basically a guest, certainly during the period that she was paying the note).
The verbal agreement is unenforcable under the statute of frauds since it relates to an interest in real property.
The property will pass per your state’s intestacy statute. I don’t know how La. differs from other states, since it has an unusual civil code arrangement. But in most states, you and your siblings would, I believe, become tenants in common.
I think you either have to hope that your siblings don’t sue you (maybe until the adverse possession statute runs out – and even that might not work if your possession isn’t sufficiently adverse to them), or get them to deed you all interests they have or may claim to have in the property. The danger is of course that this makes them think that they have an interest, and then they’ll sue you. It comes down to your opinion of your siblings.