Another form of lien on real property is the attachment which is a statutory privilege given to a plaintiff or complainant in the courts in an action for money damages before any judgment is procured. In some States every plaintiff in every action may file an attachment against the defendant's property. Most States, however, give the plaintiff this privilege only for specific causes; generally for the non-residence of the defendant or his removal, or threatened removal, of property from the State or for his obtaining credit on the basis of a false financial statement made in writing. By filing an attachment the plaintiff in the action practically insures himself that there will be some property out of which the judgment could be paid if the action is successful.

In order to protect the defendant, the plaintiff obtaining the writ of attachment must file a bond in writing that if the defendant wins, the plaintiff will pay all costs and damages which the defendant may suffer because of the attachment.

An attachment is filed in practically the same way as a judgment lien, and has substantially the same right of priority as the judgment. It lasts until the action has been disposed of. If the plaintiff wins the lien of attachment is discharged. If the defendant against whom the attachment lien has been filed wishes to sell his property during the pendancy of the action he may file a bond equal in amount to the plaintiff's demand, plus costs. The county clerk would then mark the attachment lien "Discharged by Bond."