Just open up escrow on it and order a preliminary title report.. or title work or whatever they call it in your state..once you get the title report back it will have the true vested owner.. and if there is issue with the title IE to convey marketable title it will spell it out in the Preliminary title report.some call it a title binder  etc etc.. usually a few hundred bucks. 

Before opining on the education (or lack thereof of someone else) you may want to grammar check and spell check your own post.

I am not sure if you have this same issue but in Colorado some of the lists we purchase will have the owner name as "Not Avail from County" and you will have to look up the home address of that absentee owner in whatever public records search you use and verify the order and spelling of the name. 

I don't look at doing these things as intrusive at all; it's my investment and I'm entitled to protect it, plus my lease spells out that I will be doing so.

Helps to see it all spelled out.

The way I proved it (1) her name was spelled differently (comparing id to the name on the housing site - her name is a VERY common name).  

In theory, I think the joint venture agreement could work, especially if spelled out in the JV agreement contract, but theory is often separate from reality.

These should be spelled out in CA state statues (i think)Have fun!

If the property is in disrepair you can also check with the local inspectors/clerks office and see if the town/county have slapped the property with a "Lis Pendens" (spell check) these sometimes do not show up on a title search.

Dont mind the spelling errors haha!