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Title 28 — Judiciary and Judicial ProcedureRelease 119-73not60

§1962 Lien

Title 28 › Part V— PROCEDURE › Chapter 125— PENDING ACTIONS AND JUDGMENTS › § 1962

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

A judgment from a federal district court becomes a lien on property in that state just like a judgment from a state court — same rules, same reach, and it ends the same way and time. Judgments made for the United States are not covered. If a state law says you must register, record, index, or do other specific steps in a certain office or county before a lien attaches, those steps only apply if the state lets federal court judgments be handled the same way as its own court judgments.

Full Legal Text

Title 28, §1962

Judiciary and Judicial Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Every judgment rendered by a district court within a State shall be a lien on the property located in such State in the same manner, to the same extent and under the same conditions as a judgment of a court of general jurisdiction in such State, and shall cease to be a lien in the same manner and time. This section does not apply to judgments entered in favor of the United States. Whenever the law of any State requires a judgment of a State court to be registered, recorded, docketed or indexed, or any other act to be done, in a particular manner, or in a certain office or county or parish before such lien attaches, such requirements shall apply only if the law of such State authorizes the judgment of a court of the United States to be registered, recorded, docketed, indexed or otherwise conformed to rules and requirements relating to judgments of the courts of the State.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§ 812 and 814 (R.S. § 967; Aug. 1, 1888, ch. 729, § 1, 25 Stat. 357; Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, § 291, 36 Stat. 1167; Aug. 17, 1912, ch. 300, 37 Stat. 311). Section consolidates section 812 and 814 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., with changes in phraseology necessary to effect consolidation and to clarify the meaning of such sections. Omitted words “or decree” after “judgments” as unnecessary inasmuch as Rule 54(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure by definition of judgment includes a decree. Words “in the State of Louisiana” after “or parish” were omitted as unnecessary. A reference to section 813 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., was omitted, since such section is omitted from this revision as covered by Rule 79(c) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1990—Pub. L. 101–647 inserted after first sentence “This section does not apply to judgments entered in favor of the United States.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1990 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 101–647 effective 180 days after Nov. 29, 1990, see section 3631 of Pub. L. 101–647, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 3001 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

28 U.S.C. § 1962

Title 28 — Judiciary and Judicial Procedure

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60