State-by-State Guide to Judgment Liens

A judgment lien is a collection tool available to a creditor after winning a money judgment in a lawsuit. When placed on the judgment debtor’s property, a judgment lien gives the holder an ownership interest until the debtor repays the underlying debt. The lienholder can force a property sale but often waits until the debtor sells the property and pays the obligation out of the sales proceeds, plus interest.   

All states allow judgment lien placement on the debtor’s “real property,” including a residential home, land, and rental or commercial property. Some states extend the lien’s reach to “personal property,” which is everything other than real property.

Judgment lien requirements vary between states, and laws change periodically.