In a Nutshell But you can have this judgment vacated or removed. To do so, you need to have a reasonable excuse for not appearing in court and a defense to the allegations against you. You also have grounds to vacate if the person suing you didn't properly serve the required documents.
Filing a Lien at the County Clerk's Office A Judgment Creditor can make their City Court Judgment more powerful by filing their judgment in the County Clerk's Office. This is accomplished by the Judgment Creditor requesting a "Transcript of Judgment" from the City Court Clerk.
A lien is also known as a security interest. It is a legal claim to the assets used as collateral for the satisfaction of debt. Common types of liens are bank liens, real estate liens, and tax liens. A lien can be established by a lender, through legal judgment, or a taxing authority.
How long does a judgment lien last in New York? A judgment lien in New York will remain attached to the debtor's property (even if the property changes hands) for ten years.
A judgment is good for 20 years, but if the plaintiff wants to enforce the judgment against land it is only good for 10 years unless the plaintiff renews it for another 10 years.
A Judgment against the Debtor remains as a lien against real property for a period of ten (10) years, renewable for an additional ten (10) years.
To conduct a New York property lien search by address: Visit or contact any of the following entities in person or through their websites: The county clerk's office or website. The tax assessor's office or website.
To file a notice of lien, you must complete the Public Improvement Lien Form. You must also sign and notarize both the Lien Form and the Affidavit of Service. You can submit everything to DOF by mail or in person. Learn more about the Manhattan Business Center.