First, you can only file a lis pendens if you have a pending lawsuit with the circuit court. A lis pendens is not a mechanics lien, but it is often required as part of the lien process.Remember that a lis pendens is a notice of a pending lawsuit. Yes you are going to have to draft the documents. It is not as simple as just filing a lien lis pendens. Read our stepbystep guide to learn exactly how to file a mechanics lien in California. To file and record a lis pendens against real estate, the claimant must have made a "real property claim" in the underlying litigation. Talkov Law's real estate litigators provide a free checklist of requirements to file a lis pendens (notice of pending action). 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.