If a judgment lien is filed before a property tax lien, which lien has priority?

In evaluating the priority of liens, it's important to understand the legal framework governing how different types of liens are prioritized. In this scenario, property tax liens inherently hold higher priority over judgment liens.

When a property tax lien is placed on a property, it is typically done by the government to secure payment for taxes owed. State law generally gives these tax liens significantly more authority, meaning they take precedence over other types of liens, including judgment liens.

Even if a judgment lien is filed prior to the property tax lien, the latter will still prevail because of the fundamental principle that the government’s right to collect taxes is paramount in the hierarchy of lien priorities. This ensures that property taxes, which are essential for funding public services, are prioritized in the event of foreclosure or sale of a property.

Thus, in this context, the property tax lien indeed has priority over the judgment lien, regardless of the order in which they were filed.