Guide
Massachusetts Judgments & Liens Search at a Glance
In Massachusetts, money judgments come from the Trial Court departments, among them the Superior Court, the District Court, the Boston Municipal Court and the Housing Court. A judgment is not by itself a lien on land: the creditor takes out an execution, and the officer deposits a copy of it in the registry of deeds for the county or district where the land lies. UCC financing statements are filed with the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division.
Always confirm the official record by ordering a certified copy from the originating office when accuracy matters for closing, refinancing, or litigation.
Guide
Where to search court judgments in Massachusetts
MassCourts.org gives public access to cases in the Trial Court's seven departments. Civil, small claims, summary process and supplementary process cases of the District Court, Boston Municipal Court and Housing Court can be looked up there; most criminal cases only by docket number.
Guide
Where liens are recorded in Massachusetts
When land that was not attached before judgment is taken on execution, the officer must deposit a copy of the execution in the registry of deeds, and the taking is not valid against a good faith buyer until then (G.L. c. 236, section 4). A mechanics lien starts with a notice of contract recorded in the registry of deeds (G.L. c. 254, section 2). The claimant must then record a statement of the amount due no later than the earliest of 90 days after a notice of substantial completion, 120 days after a notice of termination, or 120 days after the last work (section 8), and sue within 90 days after that (section 11).
Guide
Massachusetts UCC filings
UCC financing statements are filed with the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division, which takes filings online and runs a public UCC search.
Guide
How long a judgment lien lasts in Massachusetts
An original execution cannot issue more than one year after the creditor is first entitled to it. Each later, or alias, execution must issue within five years of the one before it and stays in force for five years (G.L. c. 235, section 17). A judgment is presumed paid 20 years after it was rendered (G.L. c. 260, section 20).
Guide
Finding the debtor's assets after judgment in Massachusetts
Massachusetts calls its procedure supplementary process, in G.L. c. 224, sections 14 through 19. The judgment creditor files an application, and a summons issues requiring the judgment debtor to appear at a named time and place and submit to an examination relative to his or its property and ability to pay. The examination is under oath, failure to appear without reasonable excuse is contempt, and the court may continue the matter for further examination and order payments.
The court files can shorten the examination. The divorce Financial Statement is impounded in Massachusetts under Supplemental Rule 401(d), but the judgment of divorce and the separation agreement are public unless impounded, and they say who kept which account, the house, the vehicles and the retirement funds. A bankruptcy file in the District of Massachusetts lists deposit accounts by institution and the employer by name. The Massachusetts asset search page covers both.
Guide
Court forms and self-help in Massachusetts
Supplementary process is the court case used to collect a judgment: the judge decides what the judgment debtor is able to pay. The Trial Court posts the application and summons for the District Court, Boston Municipal Court and Housing Court, and the Trial Court Law Libraries keep a guide to debt collection law.
Guide
Federal & National Authoritative Sources
By state
Judgments and liens in other states
Straight answers
Massachusetts Judgments & Liens Search, questions
How long is a judgment lien enforceable in Massachusetts?
In Massachusetts, a money judgment is enforceable as a lien for 20 years from the date it is entered or properly docketed. Creditors who want to extend collection beyond that period must file a renewal motion with the issuing court before the lien lapses. Read the Massachusetts statute.
What is the deadline for filing a mechanics lien in Massachusetts?
In Massachusetts, a mechanics lien (also called a construction or materialman's lien) must generally be filed within 30 days after the claimant last furnished labor or materials to the project. Different deadlines may apply to general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers, so check the exact statute before relying on this window. Source: Massachusetts statute.
What property is protected from judgment creditors in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts protects a homestead, the debtor's primary residence, up to $1,000,000 in equity from forced sale by most judgment creditors. Personal property exemptions (motor vehicle, household goods, tools of trade, retirement accounts) are listed separately in the state code. Confirm the current amount on the official source.
Where do I file or search a UCC-1 in Massachusetts?
UCC-1 financing statements for personal-property collateral in Massachusetts are filed with the Secretary of State (or equivalent state filing office). Open the official Massachusetts UCC filing portal. Real-property liens (mortgages, judgment-lien dockets, mechanics liens) are recorded at the county recorder/clerk where the property is located, not at the state level.