Sweetwyne P. Barrow v. Rhonda Holmes
The court held that a creditor's recorded abstract of judgment creates a valid lien that survives the debtor's death and may be enforced against the decedent's estate assets regardless of whether the creditor filed a claim in probate, affirming the trial court's denial of the motion to vacate the judgment.
Date Filed: August 13, 2025
Case Name: Sweetwyne P. Barrow v. Rhonda Holmes
Case Number: A169131
Court: California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District, Division One
The court decides whether a creditor’s failure to file a claim in a decedent’s probate administration defeats enforcement of a pre‑death judgment lien. It holds that the plaintiff’s recorded abstract of judgment creates a valid lien that survives the debtor’s death and that the creditor’s omission of a probate claim does not bar enforcement, so the trial court’s denial of the motion to vacate the judgment is affirmed. This ruling clarifies that judgment liens attach to the decedent’s property independently of the probate claim process, preserving creditors’ rights to enforce judgments against estate assets.
This case summary was prepared for educational purposes. For the authoritative version, please refer to the full opinion or the official California Courts website.