In Pennsylvania, a property lien can be used to collect a court judgment. Here's how it works.Many judgment debtors go to great lengths to avoid paying. Here are some tips on how to collect a judgment. Step 1 to collect a judgment in Pennsylvania is to file and record the judgment in each and every county where the debtor resides or owns real property. To obtain a judgment lien, you must first record the judgment with the court of common pleas in the county where the debtor owns property. In Pennsylvania, several types of liens can be placed on real estate. These include mechanics' liens, tax liens, judgment liens, and mortgage liens. The notice must describe the property, the judgment, the name of the owner and the time and place of the sale. Judgment liens on real property stay in place until they are paid or otherwise released.