The Florida Senate

¹55.202  Judgments, orders, and decrees; lien on personal property.--

(1)  A judgment lien securing the unpaid amount of any money judgment may be acquired by the holder of a judgment entered by:

(a)  A court of this state;

(b)  A court of the United States having jurisdiction in this state;

(c)  A court of the United States or any other state to the extent enforceable under the Florida Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act, ss. 55.501-55.509;

(d)  A foreign state as defined in the Uniform Out-of-country Foreign Money-Judgment Recognition Act, ss. 55.601-55.607, from the time and to the extent enforceable thereunder;

(e)  An issuing tribunal with respect to a support order being enforced in this state pursuant to chapter 88; or

(f)  Operation of law pursuant to s. 61.14(6).

(2)  A judgment lien may be acquired on the judgment debtor's interest in all personal property subject to execution in this state, other than fixtures, money, negotiable instruments, and mortgages.

(a)  A judgment lien is acquired by recording a judgment lien certificate in accordance with s. 55.203 with the Department of State after the judgment has become final and if no stay of the judgment or its enforcement is in effect at the time the certificate is filed.

(b)  For any tax lien or assessment granted by law to the state or any of the political subdivisions for any tax enumerated in s. 72.011, a judgment lien may be acquired by recording the lien or warrant with the Department of State.

(c)  A judgment lien is effective as of the date of recording, but no lien attaches to property until the debtor acquires an interest in the property.

(d)  Except as provided in s. 55.204(3), a judgment creditor may record only one effective judgment lien certificate based upon a particular judgment.

(3)  Except as otherwise provided in s. 55.208, the priority of a judgment lien acquired in accordance with this section or s. 55.204(3) is established at the time the judgment lien is recorded. Such judgment lien is deemed recorded as of its effective date as provided in this section or s. 55.204(3).

(4)  As used in ss. 55.201-55.209, the terms "holder of a judgment" and "judgment creditor" include the Department of Revenue with respect to a judgment being enforced by the Department of Revenue as the state IV-D agency.

(5)  Liens, assessments, or judgments administered by or secured on behalf of any state agency or political subdivision of the state may be filed directly into the central database by such agency or subdivision through electronic or information data exchange programs approved by the Department of State.

History.--s. 9, ch. 2000-258.

¹Note.--Effective October 1, 2001.