Can an entity that is NOT a corporation registered with the Secretary of State own property? I'm suing a corporation, and found out that the...

Question

Can an entity that is NOT a corporation registered with the Secretary of State own property?

I'm suing a corporation, and found out that the business property is held in the name of the (unofficial, NOT registered) DBA. Is this legal?

Answer

Unless the company is some form of limited partnership, any entity is registered with the Secretary of State. A trade name (dba) is not a separate entity, but a trade name that should be registered with the local superior court.