ARTICLE 5. Lien in Pending Action or Proceeding [708.410. - 708.480.]

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP 5.

in effect

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 708.410. Section 708.410.

(a) A judgment creditor who has a money judgment against a judgment debtor who is a party to a pending action or special proceeding may obtain a lien under this article, to the extent required to satisfy the judgment creditor’s money judgment, on both of the following: (1) Any cause of action of such judgment debtor for money or property that is the subject of the action or proceeding. (2) The rights of such judgment debtor to money or property under any judgment subsequently procured in the action or proceeding. (b) To obtain a lien under this article, the judgment creditor shall file a notice of lien and an abstract or certified copy of the judgment creditor’s money judgment in the pending action or special proceeding. (c) At the time of the filing under subdivision (b) or promptly thereafter, the judgment creditor shall serve on all parties who, prior thereto, have made an appearance in the action or special proceeding a copy of the notice of lien and a statement of the date when the notice of lien was filed in the action or special proceeding. Service shall be made personally or by mail. Failure to serve all parties as required by this subdivision does not affect the lien created by the filing under subdivision (b), but the rights of a party are not affected by the lien until the party has notice of the lien. (d) For the purpose of this article, an action or special proceeding is pending until the time for appeal from the judgment has expired or, if an appeal is filed, until the appeal has been finally determined.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 708.420. Section 708.420.

The notice of lien under Section 708.410 shall contain all of the following: (a) A statement that a lien has been created under this article and the title of the court and the cause and number of the pending action or proceeding in which the notice of lien is filed. (b) The name and last known address of the judgment debtor. (c) The name and address of the judgment creditor. (d) The title of the court where the judgment creditor’s money judgment is entered and the cause and number of the action, the date of entry of the judgment, and the date of any subsequent renewals, and where entered in the records of the court. (e) The amount required to satisfy the judgment creditor’s money judgment at the time the notice of lien is filed in the action or proceeding. (f) A statement that the lien attaches to any cause of action of the judgment debtor that is the subject of the action or proceeding and to the judgment debtor’s rights to money or property under any judgment subsequently procured in the action or proceeding. (g) A statement that no compromise, dismissal, settlement, or satisfaction of the pending action or proceeding or any of the judgment debtor’s rights to money or property under any judgment procured therein may be entered into by or on behalf of the judgment debtor, and that the judgment debtor may not enforce the judgment debtor’s rights to money or property under any judgment procured in the action or proceeding by a writ or otherwise, unless one of the following requirements is satisfied: (1) The prior approval by order of the court in which the action or proceeding is pending has been obtained. (2) The written consent of the judgment creditor has been obtained or the judgment creditor has released the lien. (3) The money judgment of the judgment creditor has been satisfied. (h) A statement that the judgment debtor may claim an exemption for all or any portion of the money or property within 30 days after the judgment debtor has notice of the creation of the lien and a statement that, if the exemption is not claimed within the time allowed, the exemption is waived.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 708.430. Section 708.430.

(a) The court in which the action or special proceeding is pending may permit a judgment creditor who has obtained a lien under this article to intervene in the action or proceeding pursuant to Section 387. (b) For the purposes of Sections 708.450 and 708.470, a judgment creditor shall be deemed to be a party to the action or special proceeding even though the judgment creditor has not become a party to the action or proceeding under subdivision (a).

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 708.440. Section 708.440.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (c) of Section 708.410, unless the judgment creditor’s money judgment is first satisfied or the lien is released, the judgment recovered in the action or special proceeding in favor of the judgment debtor may not be enforced by a writ or otherwise, and no compromise, dismissal, settlement, or satisfaction of the pending action or special proceeding or the judgment procured therein may be entered into by or on behalf of the judgment debtor, without the written consent of the judgment creditor or authorization by order of the court obtained under subdivision (b). (b) Upon application by the judgment debtor, the court in which the action or special proceeding is pending or the judgment procured therein is entered may, in its discretion, after a hearing, make an order described in subdivision (a) that may include such terms and conditions as the court deems necessary. The application for an order under this subdivision shall be made on noticed motion. The notice of motion shall be served on the judgment creditor. Service shall be made personally or by mail.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 708.450. Section 708.450.

(a) If a lien is created under this article, the judgment debtor may claim that all or any portion of the money or property that the judgment debtor may recover in the action or special proceeding is exempt from enforcement of a money judgment. The claim shall be made by application on noticed motion to the court in which the action or special proceeding is pending, filed and served on the judgment creditor not later than 30 days after the judgment debtor has notice of the creation of the lien. Service shall be made personally or by mail. The judgment debtor shall execute an affidavit in support of the application that includes all the matters set forth in subdivision (b) of Section 703.520. No notice of opposition to the claim of exemption is required. The failure of the judgment debtor to make a claim of exemption under this section constitutes a waiver of the exemption. (b) The court may determine the exemption claim at any time prior to the entry of judgment in the action or special proceeding or may consolidate the exemption hearing with the hearing on a motion pursuant to Section 708.470. (c) If the judgment debtor establishes to the satisfaction of the court that the right of the judgment debtor to money or property under the judgment in the action or special proceeding is all or partially exempt from enforcement of a money judgment, the court shall order the termination of the lien created under this article on the exempt portion of the money or property.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 708.460. Section 708.460.

(a) If a lien is created pursuant to this article, the court clerk shall endorse upon the judgment recovered in the action or special proceeding a statement of the existence of the lien and the time it was created. (b) Any abstract issued upon the judgment shall include a statement of the lien in favor of the judgment creditor.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 708.470. Section 708.470.

(a) If the judgment debtor is entitled to money or property under the judgment in the action or special proceeding and a lien created under this article exists, upon application of any party to the action or special proceeding, the court may order that the judgment debtor’s rights to money or property under the judgment be applied to the satisfaction of the lien created under this article as ordered by the court. Application for an order under this section shall be on noticed motion. The notice of motion shall be served on all other parties. Service shall be made personally or by mail. (b) If the judgment determines that the judgment debtor has an interest in property, the court may order the party having custody or control of the property not to transfer the property until it can be levied upon or otherwise applied to the satisfaction of the lien created under this article. (c) If the court determines that a party (other than the judgment debtor) having notice of the lien created under this article has transferred property that was subject to the lien or has paid an amount to the judgment debtor that was subject to the lien, the court shall render judgment against the party in an amount equal to the lesser of the following: (1) The value of the judgment debtor’s interest in the property or the amount paid the judgment debtor. (2) The amount of the judgment creditor’s lien created under this article.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 708.480. Section 708.480.

A lien created under this article may be enforced by any applicable procedure: (a) After the judgment subject to the lien is entered and the time for appeal from the judgment has expired. (b) If an appeal is filed from the judgment subject to the lien, after the appeal is finally determined.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026