In Louisiana, a lien is commonly called what?

• A. Mortgage
• B. Lien
• C. Privilege
• D. Judgment

Answer: (C)

In Louisiana, the term privilege is used for a creditor’s claim on a person’s property that secures a debt or obligation. This reflects Louisiana’s civil-law traditions, where a privilege attaches to the property and often has priority over other claims when enforced. It’s the common Louisiana way to refer to what many other systems would simply call a lien. A mortgage in Louisiana, typically called a hypotheque, is a different security instrument that encumbers immovable property to secure a loan, while a judgment is a court decision that can create a lien on property only after it’s issued and recorded. So, for the Louisiana-specific name of this encumbrance, privilege is the right term.