You can put a lien on that property so that if they ever sell or refinance the property you might get paid. To do this, you first need an Abstract of Judgment.A judgment lien is a courtsanctioned claim imposed on a debtor's property when they lose a case and owe money to the plaintiff. The jurisdiction of the District Court includes all landlord-tenant cases, replevin actions, motor vehicle violations, misdemeanors and certain felonies. The City of Oakland has a standard claim form that can be used for your convenience. If you own property in Oakland and you don't pay a City bill, you might have a lien placed on your property tax bill. Legally, it puts the creditor in the position of a secured creditor; and a perfected UCC financing statement may be acted on in case of default. View Carol Emert's profile on LinkedIn, a professional community of 1 billion members.