Article: If the squatters have only recently taken up residence in a house you own, you may be able to get them charged criminally without much effort on your part.  If the squatters have been in the home for several weeks, police may not be legally able to do anything to remove them. If you don't take steps to legally remove them, they may be able to challenge your ownership of the house. If you are able to get squatters removed as trespassers, you may be able to press criminal charges, or to sue them in civil court (particularly if they caused damage to your property while there). While the specifics of eviction vary among states, the basic process is fairly similar. Get a sheriff's deputy to serve the squatters with a written notice that they are being evicted. From the date notice is received, they have a limited period of time to leave the property, unless they choose to challenge the eviction.  As strange as it may sound, if people live in a house for an extended period of time, they may acquire the rights of tenants – even if they entered illegally and have never paid you any rent. This gives them some rights to occupy the property until you can get a court order. You can find forms online to use to evict squatters from property you own. The easiest way to make sure the forms you get are valid in your area is to look for forms provided by the court where you will file your lawsuit for eviction. If the squatters stay in the house despite your notice, a judge will have to find that you own the property and that the squatters are there illegally. With a court order, you can get a sheriff's deputy to forcibly remove the squatters. In court, you typically need a title deed or similar proof of ownership of the house to prove that you have the right to remove the squatters. Once you've gone through the time-consuming and stressful process of evicting squatters, make sure it doesn't happen again. If you own any houses that are unoccupied, check them regularly to make sure no one has moved in illegally.  If you catch a squatter quickly, you may be able to call the police and have them removed as a trespasser without having to go through the eviction process again. You can also take additional steps to make the house less attractive to potential squatters. Install lights that are set on a timer, and place security cameras at the entrances. Keep the yard neat so the house doesn't appear abandoned.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Call the local police to have squatters removed as trespassers. Serve an eviction notice if you can't remove them as trespassers. Go to court to get the squatters forcibly removed. Visit all houses you own at least once a year.