A court-ordered lien is called what?

• A. Tax Lien
• B. Judgment Lien
• C. Mortgage Lien
• D. HOA Lien

Answer: (B)

A court-ordered lien is a judgment lien. When a court issues a money judgment in favor of a creditor, that judgment can be filed as a lien against the debtor’s real property to secure payment. This type of lien comes from the court’s decision and becomes a claim on property until the debt is satisfied or the lien expires, often with the possibility of enforcement actions like foreclosure or collection.

Tax liens, by contrast, come from government statutes for unpaid taxes and aren’t created by a court’s judgment. Mortgage liens arise from a mortgage contract that the borrower voluntarily signs, securing the loan. HOA liens come from association rules for unpaid dues, and they are not court-ordered unless the HOA obtains a judgment; otherwise they’re based on CC&Rs and association processes. The key idea is that a judgment lien specifically originates from a court’s money judgment.