Delaware gazette and state journal., 1895-12-19
JUDGMENT LIENS.
II Certain PARTIES Continue Unnindfui
they wili BE Disugrnsabiy Surprised New
Vaurta If.a

IT Certain PARTIES Continue Unmindfui
they wan BE DisaErueabiy Surprised New
YEARS Eve.
At the session of the General Assem-
bly, Of 1893 there was passed an act en-
titled "An Act Limiting Judgment
Liens upon Real Estate and for Other
Purposes, being chapter 7IS, Vol.
XIX, Laws of Delaware.
At the last session of the General
Assembly this act was repealed, so far
as II related to or affected the lien Of
judgments in Kent and Sussex coup.
ties but was left in full force and
effect SO far as it related TO the lien of
Judgments in New Castle county.
The purpose and object OF this law
was TO clear the docket of thousands of
old judgments, running away back In
tha century, many of which have been
paid and never satisfied OF record,
many others being judgments on
bonds accompanying mortgages, whore
the mortgages have long ago been salts
fled either by payment or sale and the
judgments neglected, and many other
judgments, wherein both plaintiffs and
defendants and their personal represen-
tatiyes are dead and their heirs un-
known; all of which were OF constant
menaees TO title and hampered real
estate transactions, made the borrow
ing OF money difficult and cast shadow,
large or small, on the title to almost
every acre of land in Wilmington in
particular and the county in general.
To that end this act provides that
''no Judgment, for the recovery Of
money entered or recorded
in the superior court OF this State, in
New Castle county Bhall
continue lien upon real estate for a
longer term than 10 years next follow
ing the day of entry or recording such
judgment unless within said
10 years the lien of said judgment
| shall be renewed and continued by a
written agreement" signed by the par
ties to the judgment and filed with the
prothonotary, or by sueiug out a writ
of scire facias.
Itprovides further that "after tho
| first day Of January, A. ID. 1896, nc
real estate shall be seized or taken by
virtue of execution process upon any
judgment, for the recovery OF money,
entered In the superior court prior te
the first day OF January, A. ID. 1886,
and from and after the first day oi
January, A, ID. 1896, the lien OF such
| Juhbututs upph EOdl tbluAN bhuli w
lost, unless prior to that time such
lien shall be renewed and continued b,
agreement filed or scire facias suec
out. ~
This means that any persons beinG
plaintiffs in judgments entered in thiI
county prior to January lst, 1896, mus
take steps before the first day of Janu
airy next to continue the liens Of thei
/ judgments, by filing with the prothono
tary an agreement, according to form
prescribed, or by sueing out writ o
scire facias; or their judgments viii
he worthless, so far as they are a liei
upon the defendants real estate.
1t is feared that this law is not gen
orally known and properly understood
for In conversation with Prothonotar,
Woolley he gave the startling informa
tion that, Notwithstanding there or
but few days left for plaintiffs to loo
after their judgments, there have bee
hut 80 agreements filed and about
dozen suits on scire facias instituted
Unless parties to judgments look afte
their interests before the first day q
January next there will be a generf
shaking up of liens and titles in whic
considerable money may be lost on tn
night Of the 3lst of December, as th
Court House bell rings in the ne
year and with it the new law.