To place a judgment lien, you or your attorney file an abstract of judgment (AJ) in any county where the defendant owns nonexempt property. After 30 days, you can execute the affidavit and file it with the records.The property code outlines exactly what must be in the affidavit. The Bexar County Clerk's Office Recordings Division files, records, and maintains Real Property Records, Personal Property Records, Notice of Trustee Sales. A lien is a claim against someone's property that allows a nonowning party to hold an interest in the property until the owner repays a debt. This State Bar of Texas manual walks practitioners through the entire process of debt collection. Filing a lien entails establishing a legal claim against an asset, often a property or a vehicle, which is commonly used as collateral for payment of a debt. Judicial Lien - A judicial lien occurs when a court grants a creditor a stake in a debtor's property after a court judgment. In Texas, judgment liens can remain attached to your property for up to 10 years. If you are filing a lien on a property, it must be filed in the county in which the property is located.