A judgment lien is filed by a party that won its lawsuit, and who is now seeking to collect the money awarded in the judgment. A judgment lien is placed on property to secure the payment of the judgment.  

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The terms judgment and judgment lien are not interchangeable.  A judgment is the official court decision that resolves the rights and claims of the parties, which may include monetary awards, injunctions, and other court orders.  In a few states, a judgment may automatically become a judgment lien by operation of law. However, in most states, a judgment only becomes a judgment lien if a separate filing is made.  Judgments and judgment liens are nearly always filed in different offices.