(a) Upon recordation of an abstract of judgment or other document creating an involuntary lien affecting the title to real property, unless the county recorder has received from the judgment creditor proof of service pursuant to subdivision (b) of a copy of the document being recorded, the county recorder may, whenever the recorded document evidencing that lien contains the address of the person or persons against whom the involuntary lien is recorded or the address of the judgment debtor’s attorney of record, within 10 days notify the person or persons or attorney of record by mail of the recordation.
(b) As an alternative to notice by the recorder, the judgment creditor or lienholder may serve upon the person or persons against whom the abstract of judgment or document creating an involuntary lien is to be recorded, a copy thereof in one of the following ways:
(1) By personal delivery. Proof of service pursuant to this paragraph shall be shown by the affidavit of the person making the service, showing the time, place, and manner of service, the name and address of the person served, and any other facts necessary to show that service was made in accordance with this paragraph. If there is no address for a person to be served known to the judgment creditor or lienholder, he or she shall append to the abstract of judgment or involuntary lien an affidavit to that effect.
(2) By leaving it at the person’s residence or place of business in the care of some person in charge. Proof of service pursuant to this paragraph shall be shown by the affidavit of the person making the service, showing the time, place, and manner of service, the name and address of the person served, together with the title or capacity of the person accepting service, and any other facts necessary to show that service was made in accordance with this paragraph.
(3) By registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the person’s residence or place of business. This service is complete at the time of mailing. Proof of service pursuant to this paragraph shall be shown by an affidavit setting forth the fact of service, the name and residence or business address of the person making this service, showing that he or she is a resident of, or employed in, the county where the mailing occurs, the fact that he or she is over the age of 18 years, the date and place of deposit in the mail, the name and address of the person served as shown on the envelope, and the fact that the envelope was sealed and deposited in the mail, with the postage thereon fully prepaid, and sent by registered or certified mail.
(c) The judgment creditor may add the actual cost of service pursuant to subdivision (b) to the judgment or involuntary lien. The costs shall not exceed the cost had the abstract of judgment or involuntary lien been recorded pursuant to subdivision (a).
(d) As used in this section, “involuntary lien” means a lien that the person or persons against whom the lien is recorded has not executed or has not consented to by contract.
(e) This section shall not apply to the recordation of any documents relating to an involuntary lien in favor of the federal government pursuant to federal law or statute or to the recordation of any state tax lien against real property.
(f) The failure of the county recorder or a judgment creditor or lienholder to notify the person or persons against whom an abstract of judgment or involuntary lien is recorded as authorized by this section shall not affect the constructive notice otherwise imparted by recordation, nor shall it affect the force, effect, or priority otherwise accorded the lien.
(g) In the event that the notice is returned to the recorder by the postal service as undeliverable, the recorder is not required to retain the returned notice.
(h) In recognition of the state and local interests served by the action made optional in subdivision (a), the Legislature encourages the county recorder to continue taking the action formerly mandated by this section. However, nothing in this subdivision may be construed to impose any liability on a local agency that does not continue to take the formerly mandated action.
(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 889, Sec. 2. Effective September 29, 2004.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018