§ 697.370 Release or subordination

Codes > California Code of Civil Procedure > Part 2 > Title 9 > 697.370

§ 697.370. Release or subordination

    (a) The judgment creditor may do either of the following:

        (1) Release from the judgment lien all or a part of the real property subject to the lien.

        (2) Subordinate to another lien or encumbrance the judgment lien on all or a part of the real property subject to the judgment lien.

    (b) A release or subordination is sufficient if it is executed by the judgment creditor in the same manner as an acknowledgment of satisfaction of judgment and contains all of the following:

        (1) A description of the real property being released or on which the lien is being subordinated. If the judgment debtor does not have an interest of record in the real property, the release or subordination shall show the name of the record owner. If all of the real property of the judgment debtor in a county in which the lien is recorded is being released from the judgment lien, or if the judgment debtor has no known interest in any real property in that county, the release shall, in lieu of containing a description of the property being released, contain a statement substantially as follows: “This is a release from the judgment lien described herein of all of the interests in real property in ______ County presently owned or hereafter acquired of the herein named judgment debtor subject to the lien.”

        (2) The date the judgment lien was created and where in the records of the county the abstract of judgment or certified copy of the judgment was recorded to create the lien.

        (3) The title of the court where the judgment is entered and the cause and number of the action.

        (4) The date of entry of the judgment and of any subsequent renewals and where entered in the records of the court.

        (5) The name and address of the judgment creditor, the judgment creditor's assignee, if any, and the judgment debtor whose interest in real property is released from the judgment lien or with respect to whom the judgment lien is subordinated.

    (c) A release or subordination substantially complying with the requirements of this section is effective even though it contains minor errors that are not seriously misleading.

    (d) The execution of a release or subordination of a judgment lien pursuant to this section does not release or subordinate the judgment lien as to judgment debtors not named in the release pursuant to paragraph (5) of subdivision (b).