length to legally remove lien in arizona

Started by MindyD • 2 replies • 2147 views

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MindyD (Arizona)
Posts: 47

Posted:

Long story short, we have an inept MC that does not know how to do the financials and they said we owed an assessment fee so we faxed the cancelled checks and thought it was done. Months later we get a letter stating a lien will be placed if we don't pay so this time I personally hand delivered them to the lawyer and was told they have not placed a lien yet, yada yada yada. The MC sent me a statement showing the corrections and just out of curiosity I check the recorded documents site in Arizona and wala, there is a lien on our place. How long do they have before they legally have to remove this black mark from us???? I have the statement showing all legal and late fees have been taken off, I just want this taken away NOW.

HaroldS (Arizona)
Posts: 906

Posted:

33-420. False documents; liability; special action; damages; violation; classification

A. A person purporting to claim an interest in, or a lien or encumbrance against, real property, who causes a document asserting such claim to be recorded in the office of the county recorder, knowing or having reason to know that the document is forged, groundless, contains a material misstatement or false claim or is otherwise invalid is liable to the owner or beneficial title holder of the real property for the sum of not less than five thousand dollars, or for treble the actual damages caused by the recording, whichever is greater, and reasonable attorney fees and costs of the action.

B. The owner or beneficial title holder of the real property may bring an action pursuant to this section in the superior court in the county in which the real property is located for such relief as is required to immediately clear title to the real property as provided for in the rules of procedure for special actions. This special action may be brought based on the ground that the lien is forged, groundless, contains a material misstatement or false claim or is otherwise invalid. The owner or beneficial title holder may bring a separate special action to clear title to the real property or join such action with an action for damages as described in this section. In either case, the owner or beneficial title holder may recover reasonable attorney fees and costs of the action if he prevails.

C. A person who is named in a document which purports to create an interest in, or a lien or encumbrance against, real property and who knows that the document is forged, groundless, contains a material misstatement or false claim or is otherwise invalid shall be liable to the owner or title holder for the sum of not less than one thousand dollars, or for treble actual damages, whichever is greater, and reasonable attorney fees and costs as provided in this section, if he wilfully refuses to release or correct such document of record within twenty days from the date of a written request from the owner or beneficial title holder of the real property.

D. A document purporting to create an interest in, or a lien or encumbrance against, real property not authorized by statute, judgment or other specific legal authority is presumed to be groundless and invalid.

E. A person purporting to claim an interest in, or a lien or encumbrance against, real property, who causes a document asserting such claim to be recorded in the office of the county recorder, knowing or having reason to know that the document is forged, groundless, contains a material misstatement or false claim or is otherwise invalid is guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor.

MaryA1 (Arizona)
Posts: 7,043

Posted:

The statute Harold copied may or may not apply, since the HOA would most likely claim the lien was made in good faith at the time it was recorded. I couldn't find any statute that imposes a fine for not releasing the lien. I could only find a statute (copied below) that tells of the procedure to release the lien. You may want to give the prop. mgr. and board a copy of this statute and ask them to record a release ASAP or you will consider legal action IAW ARS 33-420 (the statute Harold copied).

33-964. Lien of judgment; duration; exemption of homestead; acknowledgment of satisfaction by judgment creditor

A. Except as provided in sections 33-729 and 33-730, from and after the time of recording as provided in section 33-961, a judgment shall become a lien for a period of five years from the date it is given, on all real property of the judgment debtor except real property exempt from execution, including homestead property, in the county in which the judgment is recorded, whether the property is then owned by the judgment debtor or is later acquired. A judgment lien for support, as defined in section 25-500, remains in effect until satisfied or lifted.

B. Except as provided in section 33-1103, a recorded judgment shall not become a lien on any homestead property. Any person entitled to a homestead on real property as provided by law holds the homestead property free and clear of the judgment lien.

C. A judgment of the justice court, municipal court, superior court or United States court that has become a lien under this article, immediately on the payment or satisfaction of the judgment, shall be discharged of record by the judgment creditor or the judgment creditor's attorney by recording a satisfaction of judgment with the county recorder of the county in which the judgment is recorded. The judgment creditor or the judgment creditor's attorney shall enter a notation of satisfaction on the docket of the clerk of the superior court of each county in which the judgment has been entered or docketed, and in a like manner enter a notation of satisfaction on the docket of the clerk of the United States district court.

D. In a title IV-D case, if the title IV-D agency or its agent is listed as the holder of the lien and the judgment has been satisfied but the obligee is unwilling to sign the release of the lien or, after reasonable efforts, cannot be located to sign the release of the lien, the title IV-D agency or its agent may sign the satisfaction of judgment and release of lien without the signature of the obligee. The title IV-D agency or its agent shall send a copy by first class mail to the last known address of the obligee.

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