A lis pendens is a document that an attorney files when a lawsuit affects real property. The lis pendens puts the rest of the world on notice that this property has a legal dispute going on and that they’re going to be buying this property subject to that legal dispute. It’s essentially used when you want to tie up real estate so that the person you’re suing can’t sell it, mortgage it, or do something with the property prior to the resolution of the lawsuit.