A judgment lien lasts for ten years. Generally, to file a judgment lien, an abstract of judgment must be issued by the justice court. Some justice courts have a form available on their website to request an abstract of judgment.
A judgment is valid for 10 years after it is issued, and it can be enforced at any time within that time period. There are ways for a creditor to extend a judgment past that time, so if properly renewed, a creditor can seek to enforce the judgment and collect for many years even after the initial ten-year window.
Lis Pendens Texas and Property Code Property Code Section 12.007(a) allows the party seeking relief to file a Lis Pendens during the pendency of an action involving title to real property, the establishment of an interest in real property, or the enforcement of an encumbrance against real property.
To file a Lis Pendens in Texas, the party initiating the lawsuit must follow procedures outlined in the Texas Property Code. This includes submitting a declarative affidavit to the county clerk's office where the property is located. The affidavit must generally contain: Names of the parties involved.
A lis pendens has no life of its own apart from the lawsuit that underlies it. If there is no lawsuit, there can be no valid lis pendens. “A lis pendens operates only during the pendency of the underlying suit, and only as to those matters that are involved in the suit.
Lis pendens is a formal notice that there is a pending action, or lawsuit, that could affect the title of the property. However, it serves an even bigger purpose. When a lis pendens is filed, any future transfers of the property are affected by the pending action if it were to be awarded.
If someone has filed a Lis Pendens notice (which alerts others that there is a pending lawsuit involving a property), any party involved in the lawsuit can: Ask the court to remove the notice (e.g. Motion to Expunge). Notify all affected parties at least 20 days before the court hearing.
What is a lis pendens? (CCP § 405.21) A lis pendens – also called a notice of pendency of action – is a special type of legal document filed with a county recorder. Though its use is limited to lawsuits involving real property claims, its effect is powerful.
Common lawsuits that may require or result in lis pendens being recorded include quiet title actions, partition lawsuits, specific performance, and easement disputes. A quiet title action is when more than one person has a claim to real property, and the title needs to be “quieted” or made to be a clear title.