What is the exam-ready distinction?
| Official syllabus topic | Property Ownership: Liens; Priority and Effect on Title |
|---|---|
| Official PSI area | Property Ownership |
| Published weight | 10% of the 100-question national portion |
| Source edition | PSI Georgia Candidate Information Bulletin dated July 1, 2026 |
The Rule
PSI publishes a weight for the complete official area, not a guaranteed count for this individual comparison. Use the source, document, actor, event, and timing stated in the question before applying a memorized definition.
Side-by-side comparison
Read across each row. The terms are deliberately compared on identical dimensions so the difference remains clear when the exam hides the vocabulary inside a scenario.
| Decision dimension | General lien | Specific lien |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | May attach to multiple eligible assets of the debtor | Attaches to identified property |
| Example | Many judgment liens | Mortgage, security deed, property-tax lien, or mechanic's lien on the parcel |
| Priority starting point | Governing law and proper attachment or record | Governing law and proper attachment or record |
| Exceptions | Tax and statutory rules can change ordinary order | Purchase-money, tax, mechanic's, subordination, and recording rules can change ordinary order |
Decision rule
Georgia-specific distinction
Worked example
Scenario. A question lists a recorded mortgage and a later property-tax lien, then states that state law gives the tax lien superior priority.
Reason it through. The problem supplies an exception to chronological priority. The later date does not defeat the stated tax priority.
Answer. Apply the statutory tax priority given in the question.
Common exam traps
- Using general versus specific to decide priority
- Treating first in time as exception-free
- Ignoring recording
- Assuming every judgment reaches every asset immediately
Original practice questions with detailed explanations
These are original instructional questions mapped to the July 1, 2026 PSI outline. They are not copied from PSI or any live examination. Choose an answer before opening the explanation.
Question 1A court judgment against a homeowner is recorded in the county where the owner has two parcels. One parcel is also encumbered by a security deed. Which pairing is correct?
- A. The judgment is specific; the security deed is general
- B. The judgment is general; the security deed is specific
- C. Both are general liens on all the owner's property
- D. Both are specific liens on the secured parcel only
Show answer and explanation →
Answer: B. The judgment is general; the security deed is specific
A judgment lien is typically general because it can reach a broad class of the debtor's property, while a security deed attaches only to the parcel it describes. Scope is decided by what the lien can reach, not by how serious the debt is. Reversing the two is the most common slip.
Question 2A lot has a security deed recorded in 2023 and a second security deed recorded in 2025. There are no tax liens, subordination agreements, or other special rules. Which lien has priority?
- A. The 2023 security deed, first in time
- B. The 2025 deed, as the more recent lender
- C. Whichever secures the larger loan
- D. Both share equally, since each is specific
Show answer and explanation →
Answer: A. The 2023 security deed, first in time
With no exception in the facts, priority starts with the recording rule, often summed up as first in time, first in right. The 2023 deed was recorded first, so it is senior. Loan size and the specific-lien label do not decide priority.
Question 3A lender holding a security deed recorded in 2021 signs a subordination agreement in favor of a construction lender whose security deed is recorded in 2026. Which lien has priority?
- A. The 2021 deed, because it was recorded first
- B. Neither, until a foreclosure sale sets the order
- C. The 2026 deed, because construction loans come first
- D. The 2026 deed, under the subordination agreement
Show answer and explanation →
Answer: D. The 2026 deed, under the subordination agreement
A subordination agreement lets a senior lienholder voluntarily move behind a later lien, so the 2026 construction loan takes priority here. First in time is a starting rule, not one without exceptions. Construction loans do not win automatically; the signed agreement is what changes the order.
Ready to move on?
You have this distinction down when all of these are true.
- Define every compared term without using the other term as the definition.
- Rebuild the comparison table from memory.
- State the decision rule and Georgia distinction without notes.
- Solve the worked example after changing one key fact.
- Explain the rule or fact that makes each distractor wrong.
- Answer all three original questions correctly in mixed practice on a later day.
Recommended next lesson
Continue with Tenancy in Common Versus Joint Tenancy With Survivorship in Georgia. Liens are one way others hold rights in a parcel; the next guide covers how Georgia titles property to two or more owners, including its tenancy in common presumption and its refusal to recognize tenancy by the entirety.
Return to the complete exam-concept library or the Property Ownership hub.