Court judgments create liens on real property through which process?

• A. A lease
• B. A tax lien
• C. Court proceedings
• D. Lis Pendens

Answer: (C)

A court judgment creates a lien on real property when the court issues the monetary award and the judgment is recorded with the county recorder. This recording action is the step that attaches the lien to the debtor’s real estate in that county, making the property security for the judgment. A lease is simply a rental contract and does not create a lien on property. A tax lien comes from unpaid taxes, not from a court judgment. A lis pendens is a notice that litigation involving the property is pending and can cloud title, but it does not itself create a lien. The essential idea is that the lien arises from the court’s judgment and is secured by recording it in the appropriate jurisdiction.