Cite as: 60 CNCA § 1

Any person having peaceable possession of private property obtained through lawful means, and claiming a limited or absolute right in the same, shall be held, in law, to have a prior right of possession thereto against all persons obtaining possession thereafter, until the right of such person shall expire, or be by him transferred to another for good or valuable consideration, or until his right shall be disputed and invalidated by due course of law. And any person, having a prior right of possession of any property to any other person, and the property being detained by the latter from the former without his voluntary consent, may recover such property upon suit for possession merely, without regard to, or investigation had by the court of, other or higher title, either in plaintiff or defendant of such suit. But such person as plaintiff may submit to the court the general question of right, involving the right of possession of the property, or be awarded possession of such property merely, as provided above, with the right accruing of answering as defendant in all suits involving the right, title and interest of the parties to such property.