# United States Statutes at Large/Volume 4/22nd Congress/2nd Session/Chapter 80

Chap. LXXX.—An Act to secure to mechanics and others payment for labour done and materials furnished in the erection of buildings in the District of Columbia.
Buildings subject to debts for work, &c.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all and every dwelling-house, or other building, hereafter constructed and erected within the city of Washington, in the town of Alexandria, or in Georgetown, in the District of Columbia, shall be subject to the payment of the debts contracted for, or by reason or any work done or materials found and provided by any brickmaker, bricklayer, stonecutter, mason, lime merchant, carpenter, painter and glazier, ironmonger, blacksmith, plasterer, and lumber merchant, or any other person or persons employed in furnishing materials for, in the erecting and constructing such house or other building, before any other lien which originated subsequent to the commencement of such house or other building.If buildings be under contract, no lien to attach for work or materials, unless notice be given. But if such dwelling-house, or other building, or any portion thereof, shall have been constructed under contract or contracts, entered into by the owner thereof, or his or her agent, with any person or persons, no person who may have done work for such contractor or contractors, or furnished materials to him, or on his order or authority, shall have or possess any lien on said house or other building, for work done or materials so furnished, unless the person or persons employed by such contractor to do work on, or furnish materials for, such building, shall, within thirty days after being so employed, give notice in writing, to the owner or owners of such building, or to his or to their agent, that he or they are so employed to work or to furnish materials, and that they claim the benefit of the lien granted by this act.If sale of building do not satisfy all demands, to be distributed pro rata. Limitation of lien. And if such house or other building should not sell for a sum sufficient to pay all the demands for such work and ​rials; then, and in such case, the same shall be averaged, and each of the creditors paid a sum proportionate to their several demands: Provided, always, That no such debt for work and materials shall remain a lien on the said houses or other buildings longer than two years from the commencement of the building thereof, unless an action for the recovery of the same be instituted, or the claim filed, within three months after performing the work or furnishing the materials, in the office of the clerk of the court for the county in which the building shall be situated: And provided, also, That each and every person, having received satisfaction for his or their debt,Creditors paid, to enter satisfaction. for which a claim has been or shall be filed, or action brought as aforesaid, shall, at the request of any person interested in the building on which the same was a lien, or in having the same lien removed, or of his or their legal representative, on payment of the costs of the claim or action, and on tender of the costs of office for entering the satisfaction, within six days after such request made, enter satisfaction of the claim in the office where such claim war or shall be filed, or such action brought, which shall for ever thereafter discharge, defeat, and release the same;Penalty for not so doing. and if such persons, having received such satisfaction as aforesaid, by himself or his attorney, shall not, within six days after request and payment of the costs of the claim or action, and tender as aforesaid, by himself or his attorney, duly authorized, enter satisfaction as aforesaid, he, she, or they, neglecting or refusing so to do, shall forfeit and pay unto the party or parties aggrieved any sum of money, not exceeding one half of the debt, for which the claim was filed, or action brought as aforesaid, to be sued for and demanded by the person or persons indemnified, in like manner as other debts are now recovered by the existing laws for the recovery of debts.
Mode of recovering lien.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That in all cases of lien created by this act, the person having a claim filed agreeably to its provisions, may, at his election, proceed to recover it by personal action, according to the nature of the demand, against the debtor, his executors, or administrators, or by scire facias against the debtor, or owner of the building; and where the proceedings are by scire facias, the writ shall be served in like manner as a summons upon the persons named therein, if to be found within the county, and if not found in the county, then by fixing a copy of the writ upon the door of the building against which the claim is filed; and upon the return of service and failure of the defendants to appear, the court shall render judgment as in case of a summons; but if they, or either of them, appear, they may plead and make defence, and the like proceedings shall be had as in personal actions for the recovery of debts:Proviso. Provided, That no judgment rendered in such scire facias shall warrant the issuing an execution, except against the building or buildings upon which the lien existed as aforesaid.
Approved, March 2, 1833.