Record your judgment with the county recorder and instantly cloud the title to every piece of real estate they own. They can't sell, refinance, or transfer property without paying you first.
An abstract of judgment is a one-page court document that summarizes your money judgment. When you record it with a county recorder's office, it creates a judgment lien that attaches to all real property the debtor owns (or later acquires) in that county.
Under CCP § 674, you can obtain an abstract from the court clerk as soon as your judgment is entered. Once recorded, it becomes a lien under CCP § 697.310.
The lien only attaches to property in counties where you've recorded. If you know (or suspect) the debtor owns property in multiple counties, record the abstract in each one. It's $40 per county, but worth it.
Fill out the Abstract of Judgment form with judgment details: parties, amount, date, court case number.
Submit to court clerk. They certify it matches the judgment. Usually same-day, no fee for first copy.
Take or mail certified abstract to county recorder. Pay ~$40 recording fee. Done in minutes.
Lien immediately attaches to all debtor's real property in that county. Title is now clouded.
| Form | Name | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| EJ-001 | Abstract of Judgment (Civil and Small Claims) | Main form for money judgments |
| EJ-001A | Abstract of Judgment (Attachment) | For pre-judgment attachments |
Under CCP § 697.340, a judgment lien attaches to:
Recording an abstract doesn't override the homestead exemption. If the debtor's equity is less than the exemption ($313K-$626K), you can't force a sale even with a lien. But the lien still blocks voluntary sales and refinancing.
Don't wait. As soon as judgment is entered, get the abstract and record it. Here's why:
Under CCP § 697.310(b), a judgment lien expires 10 years after the judgment was entered (not when you recorded). You can renew it by:
Put the 10-year expiration date on your calendar now. Missing the renewal window means losing your lien priority - you'd have to re-record and get in line behind any newer creditors.
Several methods: (1) County assessor websites - search by owner name for free; (2) Post-judgment discovery - written interrogatories requiring disclosure of all real property; (3) Debtor examination - ask under oath at a court hearing; (4) Title company searches - paid service for comprehensive results. Many creditors record in the debtor's county of residence plus any county where they've found property.
The lien attaches only to the debtor's interest. For joint tenants, the lien attaches to their fractional share. For community property with a non-debtor spouse, it depends on whether the debt is a community obligation. For tenants in common, lien attaches to the debtor's percentage interest. The co-owner isn't personally liable, but the debtor's share is encumbered.
No. There's no requirement to notify the debtor when you record an abstract. They'll find out when they try to sell or refinance and the title company discovers your lien. Some creditors prefer the element of surprise; others send a letter as added pressure to negotiate payment.
When the debtor tries to sell, the title company discovers your lien during the title search. The sale can't close with a lien on title - no buyer wants to inherit your judgment. The escrow company will either: (1) pay you from sale proceeds at closing, or (2) require the seller to pay you before closing. Either way, you get paid.
A judgment lien alone doesn't give you foreclosure rights. To force a sale, you need a writ of execution and must go through the sheriff's sale process (see our real property execution guide). The lien is passive leverage; the writ is active enforcement. Many creditors use both.
Once paid in full, you must file an Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment (Form EJ-100) with the court and record it in every county where you recorded the abstract. Under CCP § 724.050, you have 14 days to file the acknowledgment after written demand. Failure to do so exposes you to liability.
I handle California judgment liens from abstract preparation through multi-county recording. Lien strategy, priority analysis, and coordination with active enforcement.