A judgment lien can be attached to the debtor's real estate -- meaning a house, condo, land, or similar kind of property interest. Filing a judgment lien on a property can help you collect a debt, but a number of factors can affect the outcome.Read on to find out. In Pennsylvania, several types of liens can be placed on real estate. These include mechanics' liens, tax liens, judgment liens, and mortgage liens. 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. Instructions for completing custody documents. 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. A judgment lien will still be a lien on real property after the five year period has expired but it will not maintain its original priority. Since we have done that we have received numerous creditor calls and letters, and judgments against us- which has completely ruined our credit overall so far.