(a) As used in this section:
(1) “Installment judgment lien” means a judgment lien created under Section 697.320.
(2) “Lump-sum judgment lien” means a judgment lien created under Section 697. 310.
(b) Except as otherwise provided by law, the rules stated in this section govern the priorities of judgment liens on real property.
(c) A lump-sum judgment lien has priority over any other lump-sum judgment lien thereafter created.
(d) A lump-sum judgment lien has priority over an installment judgment lien as to all of the following:
(1) Installments that mature on the installment judgment after the lump-sum judgment lien is created.
(2) Interest that accrues on the installment judgment after the lump-sum judgment lien is created.
(3) Costs that are added to the installment judgment after the lump-sum judgment lien is created.
(e) An installment judgment lien has priority over a lump-sum judgment lien as to all of the following:
(1) Installments that have matured on the installment judgment before the lump-sum judgment lien is created.
(2) Interest that has accrued on the installment judgment before the lump-sum judgment lien is created.
(3) Costs that have been added to the installment judgment before the lump-sum judgment lien is created.
(f) If an installment judgment lien has been created and another installment judgment lien is thereafter created, the first installment judgment lien has priority over the second installment judgment lien as to the installments that have matured on the judgment at the time the second installment judgment lien is created, the interest that has accrued prior to that time on the judgment, and the costs that have been added prior to that time to the judgment pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 685.010) of Division 1. Thereafter, priorities are determined by the time at which each installment matures on a judgment, the time the interest accrues on a judgment, and the time costs are added to a judgment pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 685.010) of Division 1.
(g) For the purposes of this section, if two judgment liens attach to the same property at the same time under subdivision (b) of Section 697.340 (after-acquired property), the judgment lien that was first created has priority as to all amounts that are due and payable on that judgment at the time the property is acquired.
(Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1364, Sec. 2. Operative July 1, 1983, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 1364.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018