what type of attorney do i need to deal with a judgement lien

by Rylan Ernser 6 min read

It is best to make efforts to get rid of the judgment lien. For choosing the best option for the same, hiring a competent attorney is important. An attorney will assess the validity of the lien, get it reversed if wrong and also point out the way to use the most comfortable and viable option to quash judgment lien.

Full Answer

Do I need an attorney to place a lien on my property?

Sep 24, 2014 · If a lien was recorded, then I would recommend you contact a local attorney whose practice is concentrated in construction law. This answer is for informational purposes only and is not meant to be nor should it be considered the providing of legal advice.

Can a judgement lien be used to sell real estate?

Jul 31, 2011 · Once the judgment is entered the creditor's attorney will look for assets to satisfy the judgment. What you should do now will depend on your circumstances. You can try to work out a repayment arrangement. If you have multiple debts you may wish to consult with an attorney about all your options.

How can a judgment creditor put a lien on my car?

May 07, 2018 · It is best to make efforts to get rid of the judgment lien. For choosing the best option for the same, hiring a competent attorney is important. An attorney will assess the validity of the lien, get it reversed if wrong and also point out the way to use the most comfortable and viable option to quash judgment lien. Bankruptcy, Blog Bankruptcy

How to remove a judgment lien in bankruptcy?

Jan 05, 2021 · Featured Case Results. June 4, 2021: A judgment against our client in the amount of $224,182 was settled for $45,000, saving our client 79%!(Fleishman, Fisher & Moest – Jacob J Stettin v.Client. Case #SC0428XX); June 3, 2021: A judgment against our client in the amount of $98,258 was settled for $10,000, saving our client 89%! See more results here. ...

How do you negotiate a settlement after Judgement?

You have four main options to deal with a default judgment:
  1. Accept the judgment.
  2. Settle the judgment for less.
  3. Challenge the judgment.
  4. Pursue debt relief.

Can you negotiate after a Judgement?

Negotiate With the Judgment Creditor

It's never too late to negotiate. The process of trying to grab property to pay a judgment can be quite time-consuming and burdensome for a judgment creditor.

How do I get a Judgement lien removed from my house in California?

To remove a lien you have to pay the judgment and get the judgment creditor to complete a notarized Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment (EJ-100). Either party can eFile the form to the court. Then the judgment creditor or you have to record a certified copy of this form in the county where the property is.

How do you satisfy a lien?

The most straightforward way to remove a lien from your property is to satisfy the debt. Once you have paid it off, you can file a Release of Lien form, which acts as evidence that the debt has been satisfied. Keep in mind that a lien is tied to the property, not to the property owner.

How do I not pay a Judgement?

How To Not Pay A Judgement
  1. Attempt to vacate a judgement.
  2. File a claim of exemption.
  3. File for bankruptcy to discharge the debt.
  4. Settle with the judgement creditor.
Jun 28, 2020

How do I write a letter to settle a Judgement?

Writing the Settlement Offer Letter

Include your personal contact information, full name, mailing address, and account number. Specify the amount that you can pay, as well as what you expect from the creditor in return. A good starting point for negotiation could be offering around 30% of the amount that you owe.
Nov 30, 2021

How do I dispute a lien against my property in California?

Generally, this requires the assistance of a lawyer. The homeowner may petition the courts under Civil Code Section 8480 in California to remove the mechanic's lien when it is not timely issued or recorded. A lawsuit is usually necessary to file it against the owner by the contractor or subcontractor.

How long does a lien stay on your property in California?

Time Limits

California law gives judgment liens a 10-year life-cycle. Once the judgment is declared it may take weeks before the creditor finally gets the lien officially recorded in the county registry of deeds. The 10-year run starts from when the court issues its judgment.

What property is exempt from creditors in California?

California Bankrupty Exemptions
Type of exemptionCalifornia System 1 (704)
Homestead$75,000-$175,000
Personal property$8,000 in tools of the trade; $8,000 in jewelry, heirlooms, and art; $3,200 in Social Security bank deposits; plus household items and medical aids
Vehicle$3,050
2 more rows
Oct 13, 2021

What is lien law?

A security interest or legal right acquired in one's property by a creditor. A lien generally stays in effect until the underlying obligation to the creditor is satisfied. If the underlying obligation is not satisfied, the creditor may be able to take possession of the property involved.

How long does it take to remove a lien from property?

The unpaid lien will stay on your credit report for 10 years after it is filed. After paying it off, it may stay on your credit history for up to seven years.

How do underwriters find Judgements?

Judgments and Liens

So the only change here is that during the underwriting process you must now rely on careful documentation review. Specifically, reviews of the declaration section of the application, pay stub deductions, title work, and payments found on bank statement to find evidence of tax liens or judgments.
Nov 12, 2018

Mitchell Paul Goldstein

You can appeal, but expect to be required to pay an appeal bond in the amount of the judgment. If you appeal or move to vacate, you need grounds for the judge to rule on. Without grounds, expect to lose. The judgment will remain on your credit report for as long as it is valid, which can be more than 7 years.

Kelly Donovan Jones

Mr freedman has set forth out the basics. To add to his comments, once the creditor (plaintiff) has a judgment they will eventually try to enforce (collect) the judgment via wage/account garnishment.

Jeffrey M. Freedman

Once you fall behind on a debt your credit record is marked for 7 years. Here you fell behind and were sued. There was a court hearing and a judgment was entered against you. This history of these events will most likely appear on your credit record for 7 years. Once the judgment is entered the creditor's attorney will look for assets to satisfy...

How to remove a judgment lien from a house?

There are several ways of doing it: You can choose to ignore judgment lien if you don’t possess any real property or property that is under $3,000. Your creditors want their money and will be all too eager to release the judgment lien, once you decide to pay off your debt.

What is a judgment lien?

What is judgment lien? Lien is the right to keep somebody’s property until the debt is paid. And a judgment lien is one that attaches your property without your consent if you lose a monetary lawsuit against someone. The winner of the lawsuit then goes ahead and records the judgment against your property.

Why do creditors use judgments?

A judgment lien is favourite with creditors since it is a sure-shot way of ensuring you actually pay off your debts. For this, the creditor first obtains a judgment against you and then attaches the judgment as proof of his or her entitlement to the lien.

Can you sell a judgment lien?

Your creditors want their money and will be all too eager to release the judgment lien, once you decide to pay off your debt. For this, they will need to file the release with the recording authority. Once released from the lien, you are at liberty to do whatever you want with your property. For instance, you can sell it or lease it or transfer it to another name.

Can you avoid a non-consensual judgment?

You can avoid non-consensual judgment lien on the property, if…. …the lien was a result of monetary judgment issued by a court. …you can claim an exemption in some of your equity in the property. …the lien would impair exempt equity, if the property were sold. These conditions are applicable to any exempt property, including real estate and cars.

What is a judgment creditor?

Judgment creditor – this is the party or parties to whom money is owed as a result of a judgment. Its generally the plaintiff, however, it could possibly be a defendant or defendants. In this sense, the party does not need to have been an actual creditor of the party against whom it has a judgment. It just speaks to who is owed money after a lawsuit.

What happens when a lawsuit results in a money judgment?

When a lawsuit results in a money judgment, it matters not what the underlying action was for. All of the same remedies are available to Florida judgment creditors whether the judgment is from a personal injury suit, foreclosure deficiency, debt collection suit, or any other type of civil case.

When is a judgment debtor satisfied?

Satisfaction – a satisfaction is a document which is signed by the judgment creditor when it intends to release the obligation of the judgment debtor as a result of payment or otherwise.

What happens if you are sued in Florida?

If you have been sued in Florida and you lost your case or failed to respond or appear, it is likely that a judgment was entered against you. A judgment is a court order that officially and conclusively declares that one party owes a certain amount of money to another party. In Florida a judgment is NOT an order to pay money.

How long is a judgment effective in Florida?

A judgment is effective as a lien for up to twenty (20) years in Florida. This means that a judgment which is entered against an individual can be enforced for up to 20 years after its entry.

Is a domesticated judgment enforceable in Florida?

In the eyes of a Florida court , a properly domesticated out of state judgment is just as valid and enforceable as any judgment originally entered in Florida.

Can a judgment creditor recover money from you?

The following is a list of some of the potential mechanisms a judgment creditor can utilize to recover their money from you under Florida and federal law: Just because a judgment has been entered against you doesn't mean that you don't have potential options available to you.

ADSOFT

I have a judgement that's 6 yrs old. I need a low cost lawyer aware of consumer law to help me negotiate a settlement and get the judgement off my credit report! I want to settle and speed the payments out over several months.

retmar

Why hire a lawyer? The money you pay him can go towards the judgement. Look at it this way. You can write a letter to the ?? asking them to consider an offer of settlement for complete removal. Make a reasonable offer and ask that all correspondence be in writing. Don't lowball too much. They more than likely will respond with a counter.

ADSOFT

The reason to hire a lawyer is because they might pull a fast one. First of all the original judgement is for $3500, 6 yrs of interest (allowed by law), and penalties, processing fees, blah,

retmar

It could be worth a try. Go to naca.com and look for a lawyer in your area. All those listed are consumer attorneys. When you find one, be sure to have him go over all of the paperwork in hopes of a possible error in the judgement. I didn't realize it was that much. Most of all, they have to remove the negative off of the CR or no pay.

Anonymous

If all you want is an attorney to send your letter offering a settlement, get a prepaidlegal attorney for that. They can do it for around $35 once you sign up (that is the fee in most states). They can send the letter out for you within a couple of days. If you're interested I can give you the number of a friend of mine who sells prepaid legal.

What to do if you have a lien on your property?

If a lien has been placed on your real estate due to a disputed debt, you should immediately contact an attorney for assistance in disputing and/or releasing the debt from your real estate. It is only by dealing with the underlying debt that you will be able to have the lien released, and any disputed debt may involve complex litigation that necessitate an attorney's assistance.

How to get a lien released?

First, if you satisfy the lien by paying the underlying debt in full, the creditor must execute a lien release that removed the lien from your property. Second, if a certain length of time passes, the lien will expire, and be automatically discharged or released. The exact length of time required for a lien to expire varies depending on the type of lien and the law of the state that applies to the lien.

What happens if you pay a lien on your property?

First, if you satisfy the lien by paying the underlying debt in full, the creditor must execute a lien release that removed the lien from your property. Second, if a certain length of time passes, the lien will expire, and be automatically discharged or released.

Can you dispute a mechanic's lien?

Therefore, it is only by disputing the claim that gave rise to the potential lien that you can dispute the lien.

How to place a lien on a property?

The process that creditors must follow in order to place liens on property differs according to state law. In most jurisdictions, there are specific notice requirements that a creditor must follow in order to notify the debtor that the lien may be placed on his or her real estate. Thereafter, creditors must take all other necessary steps under that state's law in order to place a valid, legally binding lien on the debtor's real estate, which may include filing certain legal documents with a court, recorder's office, or county clerk's office, depending on the jurisdiction, and/or preparing paperwork to be placed on file in the jurisdiction's land records.

What is a lien on real estate?

Liens on real estate are claims against property that are made in order to secure payment of a debt. If a person who owes a debt, often called a debtor, owes money to another person or entity, commonly called a creditor, then the creditor may place a lien on the debtor's property for the value of the debt owed. As a result of the lien, the real estate is used as collateral against the debt. As collateral, the real estate becomes an asset that is a potential source of payment of the debt, if the debtor otherwise fails to satisfy the debt by paying it in full.

What is the process of filing a lien on a property?

Filing a Property Lien. The process that creditors must follow in order to place liens on property differs according to state law. In most jurisdictions, there are specific notice requirements that a creditor must follow in order to notify the debtor that the lien may be placed on his or her real estate.

What is a lien on a home?

A homeowner also may have an involuntary lien placed on his or her property for work that was done on the property, which is usually referred to as a construction or mechanic's lien. Any judgments for unpaid debts awarded by a court can attach as liens to a debtor's property, as can unpaid sums of child support.

What is a mechanic lien?

A mechanic lien is a claim against property for the value of services provided to a property owner with respect to that property. The most common instances that give rise to mechanic liens tend to involve home improvement services provided by a contractor or subcontractor. If the property owner contracts for certain services with a contractor, the work is then performed by the contractor, and the property owner refuses or otherwise fails to pay for those services as agreed, the contractor may file a lien against the property, which may be referred to as a mechanic lien, a construction lien, or a contractor's lien. By placing a lien against the property, the contractor is attempting to secure payment of the unpaid services by using the property itself.

What is an involuntary lien?

A homeowner also may have an involuntary lien placed on his or her property for work that was done on the property, which is usually referred to as a construction or mechanic's lien. Any judgments for unpaid debts awarded by a court can attach as liens to a debtor's property, as can unpaid sums of child support.

How long does it take for a judgment to be released?

Furthermore, the mere passage of time will release a lien in most jurisdictions; for instance, in some states, a judgment may become void after twenty-five (25) years, which results in release of the judgment lien by operation of law.

What is a judgment lien?

A judgment lien is a type of nonconsensual lien (a lien that attaches to your property without your agreement). It's created when someone wins a lawsuit against you and then records the judgment against your property. (Learn about lien basics in What Is a Lien?)

How does a judgment lien affect real estate?

A judgment lien affects real estate you own in the county where the creditor records the lien, or where the court enters the judgment. Selling real estate can be an expensive process, and a creditor won't pursue this avenue unless you have significant equity in the property.

How long do real estate liens last?

If you buy some real estate a few years later, you'll discover that it is now burdened by that pesky old lien that was just sitting there, waiting for you to make a move. Most real estate liens expire after a certain number of years (seven to ten in most states), though they can typically be renewed indefinitely.

Can a judgment be garnished?

Most holders of unsecured debt —such as credit card balances, medical bills, and personal loans—must get a judgment before they can use more aggressive collection tactics. For instance, a creditor with a money judgment can garnish your wages and drain (levy) your bank account. These practices are often used before the creditor resorts to using the lien to recover property.

Do you get a judgment lien on your personal property?

Judgment liens on personal property. In many states, a judgment lien also applies to your personal property (property other than real estate).

Can you get rid of judgment liens in bankruptcy?

You can get rid of some judgment liens in Chapter 7 bankruptcy. To learn more, see Getting Rid of Judgment Liens in Bankruptcy .)

Can a judgment be imposed on property?

A judgment lien can be imposed on your property only after somebody sues you and wins a money judgment against you. In most states, the judgment creditor (the person or company who won) must then record the judgment by filing it with the county or state. In a few states, a judgment entered against you automatically creates a lien on ...

What is a judgment lien in Kentucky?

A judgment lien is one way to ensure that the person who won the judgment (the creditor) gets what he or she is owed. A judgment lien gives the creditor the right to be paid a certain amount of money from proceeds from the sale of the debtor's property. So how do judgment liens work in Kentucky?

How long does a judgment lien last in Kentucky?

A judgment lien in Kentucky will remain attached to the debtor's property (even if the property changes hands) for 15 years. Keep in mind: In Kentucky, a creditor's ability to collect under a judgment lien will be affected by a number of factors -- including a fixed amount of value that won't be touchable if the property is ...

What happens after a judge hands down a verdict?

In a civil court case, after a judge or jury hands down a verdict -- or after a court-approved settlement -- a judgment is entered by the court. As part of a typical judgment, the court orders the payment of money from one person to another. But the person who owes the money (the debtor) doesn't always pay up.

Can a judgment lien be attached to real estate in Kentucky?

In Kentucky, a judgment lien can be attached to real estate only ( i.e., a house or similar property interest).

Judgments in Florida, Generally

Judgment Enforcement and Collection in Florida

  • A judgment is effective as a lien for up to twenty (20) years in Florida. This means that a judgment which is entered against an individual can be enforced for up to 20 yearsafter its entry. This comes as a shock to many people who thought that some of their old debts had “fallen by the wayside” and were no longer an issue for them to deal with. As...
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Domestication of Foreign Judgments in Florida

  • Florida has a specific procedure for the recognition of foreign (out of state or country) judgments which when followed properly allow an out of state judgment to be recognized here in Florida the same as any other judgment in the state. This means that all of the remedies which are available to a judgment creditor in Florida are available to that judgment creditor once the domestication i…
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