O.C.G.A. § 44-14-342 (2019)

Annotations

JUDICIAL DECISIONS What constitutes debts due for rent. - The debts due for rent, referred to in O.C.G.A. § 53-7-91, are not debts for rent arising during the year in which the crops upon the rented land are grown, but this provision refers to debts of the decedent arising by contract made by the decedent prior to the time of death. Evans v. Carroll, 167 Ga. 68, 144 S.E. 912, 1928 Ga. LEXIS 101 (1928). No conflict with O.C.G.A. § 53-7-91. - There is no conflict between the provisions of O.C.G.A. §§ 44-14-342 and 53-791. Evans v. Carroll, 167 Ga. 68, 144 S.E. 912, 1928 Ga. LEXIS 101 (1928). General rent lien superior to tenant’s unrecorded bill of sale of personalty to secure debt. - A landlord’s general lien for rent, arising upon the issuance and levy of a distress warrant, is superior to a tenant’s unrecorded bill of sale of personalty to secure a debt, even if the latter is executed and delivered prior to the date of the levy of the distress warrant upon the property covered by the bill of sale. Butler v. LaGrange Grocery Co., 29 Ga. App. 612, 116 S.E. 213, 1923 Ga. App. LEXIS 140 (1923). Landlord’s lien is superior to lien of mortgage. Manley v. Underwood, 27 Ga. App. 822, 110 S.E. 49, 1921 Ga. App. LEXIS 454 (1921). General lien for rent prior to distress does not prevail over lien to trustee in bankruptcy. - The general lien of the landlord for rent prior to distress is inchoate, and covers no specific property, and gives no priority over the lien given to the trustee in bankruptcy. In re Grovenstein-Bishop Co., 223 F. 878, 1915 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1488 (D. Ga. 1915); In re City Drug Store, 224 F. 132, 1913

U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1871 (D. Ga. 1913); Southern Ry. v. Wilder, 231 F. 933, 1916 U.S. App. LEXIS 1743 (5th Cir. 1916); Watkins v. Alexander & Garrett, Inc., 283 F. 968, 1922 U.S. App. LEXIS 2313 (5th Cir. 1922). Mortgagee lien executed before levy of distress warrant. - A landlord’s general lien for rent under O.C.G.A. § 4414-342 is inferior to the lien of mortgagee executed before the levying of the distress warrant. Preetorius v. Anderson, 236 F. 723, 1916 U.S. App. LEXIS 2331 (5th Cir. 1916). Later laborer’s lien. - Although a laborer’s general lien arose subsequently to a landlord’s lien, the laborer’s lien is nevertheless superior in dignity to the landlord’s lien. Little v. Walters, 40 Ga. App. 447, 150 S.E. 201, 1929 Ga. App. LEXIS 192 (1929). Conditional bill of sale has priority over subsequent lien under distress warrant for rent. - A conditional bill of sale having been duly executed, attested, and recorded prior to the time of the issuing of the execution on the distress warrant, has priority over the landlord’s subsequent lien under a distress warrant for rent. Blackmar Co. v. Wright Co., 62 Ga. App. 861, 10 S.E.2d 117, 1940 Ga. App. LEXIS 455 (1940). Special lien on crops attaches without levy, and is not affected by bankruptcy of the tenant before distress. In re Harper, 294 F. 899, 1924 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1858 (D. Ga. 1924), dismissed, Corrigan v. Buckley, 271 U.S. 323, 46 S. Ct. 521, 70 L. Ed. 969, 1926 U.S. LEXIS 884 (1926). Special lien for rent is superior to older common-law judgments. If after foreclosure proceedings the crops are sold

under common-law executions, the proceeds are subject to the special lien, in preference to the judgment creditors. Cochran v. Waits, Johnson & Co., 127 Ga. 93, 56 S.E. 241, 1906 Ga. LEXIS 747 (1906). When judgment lien for landlord supersedes common-law judgment. - A lien resulting from a judgment in favor of the landlord, relates back to the date of the levy and will take precedence over a common-law judgment rendered subsequently to such levy, but before the final verdict and judgment in the distress warrant proceeding. Corley-Powell Produce Co. v. Allen, 42 Ga. App. 641, 157 S.E. 251, 1931 Ga. App. LEXIS 82 (1931). Crops raised by administrators not immune from special liens. - The fact

that the crop upon which the lien is here asserted was raised upon lands upon which administrators were continuing to conduct the business of the decedent does not deprive the landlord of the special lien provided for under O.C.G.A. § 44-14-342. Evans v. Carroll, 167 Ga. 68, 144 S.E. 912, 1928 Ga. LEXIS 101 (1928). Special liens of landlords date from maturity of crops on the lands rented, unless otherwise agreed upon. Oglethorpe Sav. & Trust Co. v. Morgan, 149 Ga. 787, 102 S.E. 528, 1920 Ga. LEXIS 406 (1920).

RESEARCH REFERENCES Am. Jur. 2d. 49 Am. Jur. 2d, Landlord and Tenant, §§ 792, 844 et seq. C.J.S. 52 C.J.S., Landlord and Tenant, § 619. ALR. Priority as between landlord’s lien on chattels and chattel mortgage, 52 A.L.R. 935. Landlord’s lien for rent as including taxes or other expenditures which tenant has agreed to pay or make, 99 A.L.R. 1104. Right or interest subject to, and priority of, statutory lien for labor or material in

developing property for oil and gas, 122 A.L.R. 1182. Priority of lien of sales or consumers’ tax, 136 A.L.R. 1015. Secured transactions: priority as between statutory landlord’s lien and security interest perfected in accordance with Uniform Commercial Code, 99 A.L.R.3d 1006. Landlord’s remedy by way of distress or lien on defaulting tenant’s property on leased premises as including right to collect for all unpaid utility expenses, 99 A.L.R.3d 1100.