Renewal of Judgment versus Revival of Judgment

In California, ten years is pretty common for the validity and duration of a judgment lien.  You can thereafter renew.   Some states have renewal of judgment and revival of judgments.  What’s the difference?

Revival of a judgment lien is done by judicial decree.

Renewal of judgment is done by civil action by filing documents on prior judgment.

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Revival continues the judgment and judgment lien.

Renewal creates a NEW judgment lien.

This is important when there are conveyances or encumbrances between such time frames.

For example:  Creditor Charlie gets a judgment against Defendant Don and records a judgment lien on D’s Home in 2017.   In 2018, Sam obtains a judgment lien also on D’s Home.  If Creditor Charlie later REVIVES his judgment, he will still have priority over Sam.  But if Charlie RENEWS his judgment, it will not have priority over Sam.

 

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