An owner contracted with a company to build an addition onto a house. When the addition was finished, the owner refused to pay the balance of the contract price. What type of lien should be filed by the company to obtain the balance

A judgment lien is a type of lien that arises when a court rules in favor of a creditor, allowing them to claim the debtor's property to satisfy a debt. This type of lien is not applicable here, as it does not pertain to unpaid construction work but rather to debts established through legal proceedings.

A general lien allows a creditor to claim all of a debtor's assets until a debt is satisfied. However, it is not specific to construction work and does not provide the specialized protections available through a mechanic's lien. A general lien would be inappropriate for this situation, where the focus is on payment for specific work done on the property.

A condemnation lien is related to the process of government taking private property for public use, typically involving compensation to the property owner. This type of lien is unrelated to construction contracts or unpaid balances for work performed, making it unsuitable for the situation described.