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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>72955</law_id><section_number>63.2-1927</section_number><catch_line>Assertion of lien; effect</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>63.2-1928</reference><reference>63.2-1933</reference><reference>63.2-1939</reference><reference>63.2-1942</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="63.2">Welfare (Social Services)</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="V">Administrative Child Support</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="19">Child Support Enforcement</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="6">Enforcement Remedies</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Ten days after service of the notice containing the proposed <span class="dictionary">administrative support order</span> as provided in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Notice of administrative support order; contents; hearing; modification" href="/63.2-1916/">63.2-1916</a>, or immediately upon receipt by the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of a <span class="dictionary">court order</span> or <span class="dictionary">foreign support order</span>, a <span class="dictionary">lien</span> may be asserted by the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> upon the real or personal property of the debtor. The claim of the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> for a support <span class="dictionary">debt</span>, not paid when due, shall be a <span class="dictionary">lien</span> when docketed against all property of the debtor in the county or city where docketed with priority of a <span class="dictionary">secured creditor</span>. The <span class="dictionary">Department</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">lien</span> shall take priority over all other <span class="dictionary">debts</span> and <span class="dictionary">creditors</span> under state <span class="dictionary">law</span> of such debtor including the proceeds or anticipated proceeds of a personal injury or wrongful death award or <span class="dictionary">settlement</span> except that the <span class="dictionary">Department</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">lien</span> shall be inferior to those <span class="dictionary">liens</span> created under &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Lien against person whose negligence causes injury" href="/8.01-66.2/">8.01-66.2</a> or &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Lien in favor of Commonwealth, its programs, institutions or departments on claim for personal injuries" href="/8.01-66.9/">8.01-66.9</a>, any statutory right of subrogation accruing to a health insurance provider, and the <span class="dictionary">lien</span> of the attorney representing the injured person in the personal injury or wrongful death action. However, the <span class="dictionary">lien</span> of the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> shall be subordinate to the <span class="dictionary">lien</span> of any prior mortgagee. The <span class="dictionary">Department</span> shall have the sole authority to negotiate <span class="dictionary">settlement</span> of its <span class="dictionary">liens</span>. <span class="dictionary">Settlement</span> of the <span class="dictionary">Department</span>&#x2019;s support <span class="dictionary">liens</span> does not affect the remaining support arrearages. This <span class="dictionary">lien</span> shall be separate and apart from, and in addition to, any other <span class="dictionary">lien</span> created by, or provided for, in this title. Such order, when an abstract thereof is docketed with the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> court, shall have the same effect as a docketed abstract of <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> from another Virginia court.
		Whenever a support <span class="dictionary">lien</span> has been filed and there is in the <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of any person, firm, corporation, association, political subdivision or <span class="dictionary">department</span> of the Commonwealth having notice of such <span class="dictionary">lien</span>, any property which may be subject to the support <span class="dictionary">lien</span>, such property shall not be paid over, released, sold, transferred, encumbered or conveyed, except as provided for by the exemptions contained in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Distraint, seizure and sale of property subject to liens" href="/63.2-1933/">63.2-1933</a>, unless a written release or <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> signed by the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> has been delivered to such person, firm, corporation, association, political subdivision or <span class="dictionary">department</span> of the Commonwealth or unless a determination has been made in a <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Notice of administrative support order; contents; hearing; modification" href="/63.2-1916/">63.2-1916</a> or by a court ordering release of such support <span class="dictionary">lien</span> on the basis that no <span class="dictionary">debt</span> exists or that the <span class="dictionary">debt</span> has been satisfied.</p></section></text><history>1974, c. 413, &#xA7; 63.1-254; 1976, c. 357; 1988, c. 906; 2002, c. 747; 2003, cc. 929, 942.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
