Torts: Personal Property: Liens

Liens – the right to retain someone else’s personal property until the owner satisfies a debt. The ability to hold items as security until you pay me.
  • Debt for services rendered: debtor who has legal title to property, but the property is in possession of the creditor.
  • General lien: right of a creditor in a whole bunch of aggregate property as security for a general balance due. Releasing some of the property does not discharge the lien. The remaining property is encumbered and could be sold to satisfy the debt.
  • Special lien: right to retain specific property that has been improved or acted upon as security for a particular charge or claim as security for that particular item.