Judgment Lien

A judgment lien is a court-ordered lien on a debtor's property, granted to a creditor to compensate for unpaid debts. A judgment lien typically arises after a lawsuit: a plaintiff who is awarded a monetary amount becomes a "creditor," and the defendant who must pay that amount becomes the "debtor." The judgment of this monetary amount is the basis for a judgment lien. Should the debtor fail to pay, the creditor can opt to enforce the judgment - through a judgment lien. In other words, a judgment lien is used to secure payment to a creditor and is enacted only after a debtor refuses to pay voluntarily. A judgment lien is satisfied when the property that is subject to the judgment lien is sold and the sale proceeds go to the creditor. A judgment lien that is placed on personal property is referred to as an attachment.