A judgment in a civil lawsuit will generally create a lien on the judgment debtor’s real property when notice of the judgment is filed with the county clerk in the county records where the judgment debtor owns real property. This public filing (often called an abstract of judgment) effectively puts all future purchasers and lenders on notice of the judgment creditor’s claim to the judgment debtor’s real property—to the extent necessary to pay/satisfy the judgment.
In Missouri, when a judgment is obtained in a civil lawsuit, it can create a lien on the judgment debtor's real property. This occurs when a notice of the judgment, often referred to as an abstract of judgment, is filed with the county clerk in the county where the real property is located. The filing of this notice is a public act that serves to inform all potential future purchasers and lenders that the judgment creditor has a legal claim on the debtor's property. This lien remains in place to the extent necessary to satisfy the payment of the judgment. The lien ensures that the judgment creditor has a right to be paid from the proceeds of the sale of the property or through foreclosure if the judgment is not voluntarily paid.