The lien created by the last preceding section shall continue in force for a period of 30 days from the time the person claiming such lien shall have ceased to do or perform the work or render the service for which said lien is claimed, while such logs, lumber or other manufactured timber products are in the county in which such labor was performed or service rendered, and said lien shall cease at the expiration of the said 30 days unless the claimant thereof, or his assignee or successor in interest, brings suit to foreclose the same, in which case the lien continues in force until the said lien foreclosure suit is finally determined and closed, and in case such proceeding be not prosecuted to trial within two years after the commencement thereof, the court may in its discretion dismiss the same for want of prosecution. If any part of the property on which the lien existed is removed from the said county, the lien continues on the balance remaining in the county to the full extent of the claim.

The plaintiff in any such lien foreclosure suit may have the logs, lumber and other manufactured timber products upon which such lien subsists attached, as provided in this code and the Code of Civil Procedure.

Any number of persons claiming liens under this and the next preceding section may join in the same action and when separate actions are commenced, the court may consolidate them. Whenever upon the sale of the property subject to the liens provided for in this and the next preceding section, under the judgment or decree of foreclosure of such lien or liens, there is a deficiency of proceeds, the proceeds shall be divided pro rata among the lien claimants whose liens are established, regardless of the order in which the liens were created or the order in which the suits to foreclose same were commenced, and judgment for the deficiency may be docketed against the party personally liable therefor and his sureties, in like manner and with like effect as in actions for the foreclosure of mortgages.

Nothing contained in this or the next preceding section shall be construed to impair or affect the right of any person to whom any debt may be due for work done, or for the use of livestock, machinery or appliances, to maintain a personal action to recover said debt against the person liable therefor, or his sureties, either in connection with the lien suit or in a separate action, and the person bringing such personal action may take out a separate attachment therefor, notwithstanding his lien or the amount of his debt, and in his affidavit to procure an attachment he shall state that the attachment is made pursuant to this section, and the judgment, if any, obtained by the plaintiff in such personal action shall not be construed to impair or merge any lien held by said plaintiff under this or the next preceding section; provided, only, that any money collected on said judgment shall be credited on the amount of such lien in any action brought to enforce the same, in accordance with the provisions of this section.

(Amended by Stats. 1974, Ch. 1516.)