We Clear Judgment Liens so Your California Sale or Refinance Can Close
The Fullman Firm helps California homeowners deal with judgment liens that stand between them and the closing table. When a creditor wins a court judgment against you, that judgment can become a lien that attaches to your home and freezes a sale or refinance until it is resolved.
Our California debt defense attorneys review how the lien arose, whether the underlying judgment is even valid, and the fastest lawful way to release it. We represent California homeowners only, we explain your options in plain language, and we move quickly, because escrow rarely waits.
Why California Homeowners Trust The Fullman Firm
Choosing the right firm can make the difference between a delayed closing and a clean one. Here is what sets our team apart when a lien is on the line:
- Flat, transparent, flexible fees. You know the full cost before we start, so a lien doesn’t turn into a budget surprise on top of a closing. And because we only earn a profit when we save you money, we’re motivated to negotiate the payoff down, not just clear it.
- A free consultation and flexible payment plans. Your first call costs nothing, and affordable payment options mean getting help does not add to your financial stress.
- You work directly with an attorney. No call centers, just an experienced debt defense attorney handling your matter from start to finish.
- A track record of removing liens, not just fighting lawsuits. Our attorneys have negotiated reduced payoffs, releases, and satisfactions, and vacated improperly obtained judgments outright against the largest junk-debt buyers and collection firms in California.
- California focus and more than 40 years of combined experience. We represent California consumers and small businesses, so we know the state courts, county recorders, and creditors you are up against.
That mix of speed, transparency, and local knowledge is what keeps your closing on schedule.
What a Judgment Lien Is and How It Attaches to Your Home
A judgment lien is a legal claim a creditor places on your real estate after winning a money judgment against you. In California, the creditor records an abstract of the judgment with the county recorder, and that recording creates a judgment lien on real property you own in that county.
The lien reaches your present and future interests in real property in that county, including property you buy later while the lien is active. Therefore, a home you did not even own when the judgment was entered can still be affected.
You may not receive a separate notice that the judgment abstract was recorded. Because the lien lives in the public property records, a title search during your sale or refinance will almost always reveal it, sometimes surfacing an old lien years later. Liens that resurface this way are sometimes called zombie liens.
Why a Judgment Lien Can Freeze Your Sale or Refinance
When you sell or refinance, the title company and your lender require clear title. A recorded judgment lien creates two problems:
- It clouds your title. Escrow generally cannot close until the lien is paid, released, or otherwise resolved.
- It threatens loan priority. A refinance lender wants its new loan in first position, and an existing judgment lien can jeopardize that priority.
Time works against you too. Interest keeps accruing on the unpaid judgment, generally at 10 percent per year, though a 5 percent rate applies to many personal-debt judgments under $50,000 entered on or after January 1, 2023, so the payoff figure grows the longer the lien sits.
How Long a Judgment Lien Lasts, and Why Old Liens Come Back
A judgment lien generally lasts ten years from the date the judgment was entered. Before it expires, the creditor can renew the judgment and, by properly recording the renewal, keep the lien in place for up to another ten years. For many consumer judgments under $50,000, a recent change in California law limits the creditor to a single five-year renewal, so it is worth having an attorney check whether a renewal was even allowed.
If the creditor does not renew in time, the judgment can no longer be enforced and the lien is extinguished. And when a creditor renews, it must serve you with a notice of renewal, which gives you only 30-60 days (depending on the type of judgment) to move to vacate or modify that renewal. A missed or defective renewal on the creditor’s side can be the fastest way off your title.
How to Clear a Judgment Lien Before You Sell or Refinance
You usually have more than one path, and the right one depends on how the judgment came about. Common options include the following:
- Pay or settle the judgment. Once the debt is resolved, an acknowledgment of satisfaction of judgment can be recorded with the county recorder, and that recording releases the lien from your title. We often negotiate a reduced lump-sum payoff so more of your equity stays with you.
- Challenge a default judgment. Many liens trace back to a lawsuit the homeowner never knew about. If you were not properly served, we may be able to vacate the default judgment, which removes the legal basis for the lien.
- Use your homestead protection. California’s homestead exemption shields a baseline amount of home equity from most creditors. The statute sets that baseline as the greater of $300,000 or your county’s prior-year median single-family home price, capped at $600,000, and it requires both figures to adjust every year for inflation, so the amount protected today is higher than those base numbers. Homestead protection does not erase the recorded lien by itself, but when your equity is within the exemption it gives us real leverage to negotiate a release or reduced payoff.
- Arrange a payoff through escrow. In many sales the lien is simply paid from your proceeds at closing. We coordinate the payoff demand and the recorded release so the deal is not delayed at the last minute, and where possible we work to reduce the demand first.
The right mix depends on your timeline and the equity you are protecting, which is exactly what we sort out with you.
Act Before Your Closing Date
The worst response to a judgment lien is to do nothing. If you are still inside a debt lawsuit, California generally gives you 30 days after you are served to respond to the summons before the creditor can ask the court for a default. Upon the request and after your deadline to respond expires, the court may grant a default judgment, and that judgment is what becomes the lien. Once a lien is recorded, starting early gives us more room to clear title before escrow closes. If a bank levy or wage garnishment is also in play, we can address those at the same time.
Talk to a California Judgment Lien Attorney Today
If a judgment lien is standing between you and your closing, do not wait for escrow to fall through. Call The Fullman Firm for a free, no-obligation consultation, or request your free consultation online. We will review the lien, explain your options, and act quickly to help you sell or refinance on schedule. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a judgment lien last in California?
A judgment lien on real property lasts ten years from the date the judgment was entered. Before it expires, the creditor can renew the judgment and record the renewal, extending the lien, so an unresolved lien can follow your property for decades unless the creditor misses the renewal deadline. It is important to note that, under recent changes to the law, for many personal-debt judgments under $50,000, the creditor gets only one five-year renewal.
Can I sell my house with a judgment lien on it?
Usually not until the lien is handled. Escrow and title companies require clear title, so a recorded judgment lien typically must be paid, settled, or released before the sale can close. The lien is often paid out of your sale proceeds at closing, but negotiating the payoff in advance protects more of your equity.
What if I never knew about the lawsuit that created the lien?
You may have grounds to set the judgment aside. If the creditor did not properly serve you and you learned of the case only later, California law allows a motion to vacate a default judgment within specific deadlines. Clearing the judgment removes the lien that grew out of it.