A lien created under this article may be enforced by any applicable procedure:
§ 708.480.Enforcement of Lien
Title 9. Enforcement of Judgments · Division 2 · Chapter 6. Miscellaneous Creditors' Remedies · Article 5. Lien in Pending Action or Proceeding · Enacted 1982 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 708.480 allows a lien created under this article to be enforced through any applicable procedure once the underlying judgment's appeal period has expired or, if an appeal was taken, once that appeal is finally determined.
Full Text of § 708.480
(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.
Plain-English Summary
This closing section of the article answers the practical question of timing: when can the creditor enforce the lien? The statute ties enforcement to the same finality standard the article uses to define when a case is pending under § 708.410(d).
If no appeal is taken from the judgment the lien attaches to, enforcement is available once the time to appeal runs out. If an appeal is filed, enforcement waits until that appeal is finally resolved. Either way, the creditor is not limited to a single enforcement method, since the lien can be enforced by any procedure otherwise applicable, such as the ordinary judgment-enforcement tools available elsewhere in this title.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can a creditor enforce a lien created under this article?
After the time to appeal the judgment subject to the lien has expired, or, if an appeal is filed, after the appeal is finally determined.
Is there a special enforcement procedure just for this kind of lien?
No, § 708.480 allows enforcement through any applicable procedure, not a single dedicated method.
Amendment History
Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1364, Sec. 2. Operative July 1, 1983, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 1364.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 28, 2026.
· Official source
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