2009 Iowa Code
Title 15 - Judicial Branch and Judicial Procedures
Subtitle 3 - Civil Procedure
CHAPTER 624 - TRIAL AND JUDGMENT
624.23 - LIENS OF JUDGMENTS -- REAL ESTATE -- HOMESTEADS -- SUPPORT JUDGMENTS.

        624.23  LIENS OF JUDGMENTS -- REAL ESTATE --
      HOMESTEADS -- SUPPORT JUDGMENTS.
         1.  Judgments in the appellate or district courts of this state,
      or in the circuit or district court of the United States within the
      state, are liens upon the real estate owned by the defendant at the
      time of such rendition, and also upon all the defendant may
      subsequently acquire, for the period of ten years from the date of
      the judgment.
         2.  Judgment liens described in subsection 1 do not remain a lien
      upon real estate of the defendant, platted as a homestead pursuant to
      section 561.4, unless execution is levied within thirty days of the
      time the defendant or the defendant's agent has served written demand
      on the owner of the judgment.  The demand shall state that the lien
      and all benefits derived from the lien as to the real estate platted
      as a homestead shall be forfeited unless the owner of the judgment
      levies execution against that real estate within thirty days from the
      date of service of the demand.  Written demand shall be served in any
      manner authorized for service of original notice under the Iowa rules
      of civil procedure.  A copy of the written demand and proof of
      service of the written demand shall be recorded in the office of the
      county recorder of the county where the real estate platted as a
      homestead is located.
         3.  Judgment liens described in subsection 1 shall not attach to
      subsequently acquired real estate owned by the defendant if the
      personal liability of the defendant on the judgment has been
      discharged under the bankruptcy laws of the United States.
         4.  In addition to other provisions relating to the attachment of
      liens, full faith and credit shall be afforded to liens arising for
      overdue support due on support judgments entered by a court or
      administrative agency of another state on real estate in this state
      owned by the obligor, for the period of ten years from the date of
      the judgment.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, including
      but not limited to the formatting of forms or requirement of
      signatures, the lien attaches on the date that a notice of interstate
      lien promulgated by the United States secretary of health and human
      services is filed with the clerk of district court in the county
      where the real estate is located.
         The lien shall apply only prospectively as of the date of
      attachment to all real estate the obligor may subsequently acquire
      and does not retroactively apply to the chain of title for any real
      estate that the obligor had disposed of prior to the date of
      attachment.
         5.  A judgment lien attaching to the real estate of a city may be
      discharged at any time by the city filing with the clerk of the
      district court in which the judgment was entered a bond in the amount
      for which the judgment was entered, including court costs and
      accruing interest, with surety or sureties to be approved by the
      clerk, conditioned for the payment of the judgment amount, interest,
      and court costs.  If the real estate is located in a county other
      than that in which the judgment was entered, the clerk of the
      district court in which the judgment was entered shall certify to the
      clerk of the district court of the county in which the real estate is
      located that the bond has been filed.
         6.  A judgment against a city shall not give rise to a lien
      attaching to the streets, alleys, or utility easements of a city or
      attaching to the real estate of a city which is used by the city for
      transportation, health, safety, or utility purposes.
         7.  If a case file has been sealed by the court, or if by law the
      court records in a case are not available to the general public, any
      judgments entered in the case shall not become a lien on real
      property until either the identity of the judgment creditor becomes
      public record, or until the judgment creditor, in a public document
      in the case in which judgment is entered, designates an agent and
      office, consistent with the requirements of section 490.501, on which
      process on the judgment creditor may be served.  Service may be made
      on the agent in the same manner as service may be made on a corporate
      agent pursuant to section 490.504.  An agent who has resigned without
      designating a successor agent and office and who is otherwise
      unavailable for service may be served in the manner provided in
      section 490.504, subsection 2, at the agent's office of record.  

         Section History: Early Form

         [C51, § 2485, 2489; R60, § 4105, 4109; C73, § 2882; C97, § 3801;
      C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, § 11602; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73,
      75, 77, 79, 81, § 624.23; 82 Acts, ch 1002, § 1--3] 

         Section History: Recent Form

         85 Acts, ch 100, § 8; 86 Acts, ch 1014, § 1; 89 Acts, ch 102, §8;
      97 Acts, ch 175, § 202; 2002 Acts, ch 1089, §1; 2006 Acts, ch 1132,
      §4, 16
         Referred to in § 232.141
         Judgment lien, § 123.113
         Special limitations on judgments, chapter 615 

         Footnotes

         Subsection 7 applies to judgments entered on or after July 1,
      2007; 2006 Acts, ch 1132, §16