Eviction cases are called an “unlawful detainer” in court. An unlawful detainer lawsuit (eviction) is a court process that a landlord can use to try to make a tenant move out of his or her rental unit and/or pay rent that is owed.
In general, landlords have a responsibility to provide a place to live that is in basically good condition, and tenants have a responsibility to take reasonable care of the property and to pay the rent in full and on time. When people have signed an agreement for a set period of time (such as 6 months or a year), they have a right to live there for that period of time unless they do not pay the rent on time, or if they break other rules in the lease agreement.
If a landlord wants to force a tenant to leave, he or she can start the legal process to ask for court order to force the tenant to leave. This section only covers unlawful detainer (eviction) proceedings for where people live. You should contact your city or county offices to find out if there are other rules landlords and tenants must follow as well.
