Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial ProcedureRelease 119-102
§1962 Lien
Title 28 › PART V — PROCEDURE › CHAPTER 125 — PENDING ACTIONS AND JUDGMENTS › § 1962
Summary
A federal district court judgment becomes a legal claim on property like a state court judgment, under the same rules and for the same time. It does not apply to judgments for the United States. If a state requires recording or filing before a claim starts, that applies only if the state lets federal judgments be recorded like state ones.
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
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102