An action may be brought to determine adverse interests in, liens or clouds upon title to real property arising out of any public improvement assessment or any bond issued to represent such assessment where the lien of such assessment or bond is presumed to have been extinguished under the provisions of Section 2911 of the Civil Code, or to determine adverse interests in, liens or clouds upon title to real property by reason of any certificate issued on sale made to satisfy any public improvement assessment or bond where such sale was made more than four years prior to the commencement of the action and no deed pursuant thereto has been issued prior to the commencement of

the action or prior to January 1, 1951, whichever is the later.

All unknown defendants, including the heirs and devisees designated in the complaint, shall have the same rights as are provided by law for other defendants upon whom summons is served, and the action shall proceed against them in the same manner. Regardless of any legal disability, any unknown defendant, including any heir or devisee designated in the complaint, who has been served, and anyone claiming under him, shall be concluded by a judgment in the action as if the action were brought against and personal service made upon that person by his or her name.

On the trial of the action, the court shall determine the rights of all the parties thereto and shall require proof of the facts alleged. Any certificate issued on sale made to satisfy any public improvement assessment or any bond issued to represent such assessment shall be presumed to have been paid and redeemed where no deed pursuant thereto has been issued and such sale was made more than four years prior to the commencement of the action.

The presumption herein mentioned shall become and be conclusive if no deed pursuant to such sale is issued within four years after the date of sale or prior to January 1, 1953, whichever

is the later; and no public official shall thereafter execute or issue any deed pursuant to such sale.

If the court determines that none of the defendants have any right, title, interest, lien or estate in the property, it shall render its final decree quieting the plaintiff’s title. If the court determines that any of the defendants have any right, title, interest, lien or estate in the property, it shall render its decree establishing these rights and may order the sale of the property or partition thereof. The decree shall direct the public officer having the record of the assessment, bond or certificate of sale to cancel the record thereof.

If the court orders a sale of the property or a partition thereof, the same shall be made in accordance with the provisions of Title 10.5 (commencing with Section 872.010) of Part 2, except that proceeds of sale belonging to unknown defendants or defendants whose identities or whereabouts are unascertained shall be paid to the public officer who is the custodian of the funds collected on such public improvement assessments, bonds or certificates of sale, to be held by him as in like instances of collection.

The decree, after it has become final, is conclusive against all persons named in the complaint who have been served and all unknown persons and the heirs and devisees of deceased persons designated in the complaint and served as hereinbefore provided.

After the judgment has become final, a certified copy thereof shall be delivered to the public officer having the record of the assessment, bond or certificate of sale in his office and he shall thereupon mark the record of the assessment, bond or certificate of sale as follows: “Canceled by judgment of court, superior court case number (here give number).”