A contractor in Alabama completes a $45,000 residential addition project. The homeowner fails to pay the final $8,500 invoice. What is the maximum time limit to file a mechanics' lien under Alabama law?
Correct Answer
A) 120 days from completion
Under Alabama lien law, contractors have 120 days from completion of work to file a mechanics' lien.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
Alabama lien law gives contractors 120 days from the date of completion of work (or last furnishing of materials or labor) to file a mechanics' lien in the probate court of the county where the property is located. Missing this window forfeits lien rights.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option B: 60 days from completion
60 days is the deadline used in several other states (e.g., Florida for certain claimants) but is not Alabama's rule. Selecting 60 days would leave a contractor with no lien right on day 61, far short of what Alabama allows.
Option C: 90 days from completion
90 days is another common deadline found in states like Georgia and Tennessee. Alabama's statute is more generous at 120 days; confusing the two could cause a contractor to file unnecessarily early or, if they think it's shorter, panic unnecessarily.
Option D: 180 days from completion
180 days is double the 90-day figure and is not Alabama's lien deadline. This longer period might be confused with the statute of limitations for enforcing a lien (which is longer than the filing window), but the filing deadline itself is 120 days.
Memory Technique
120 days = 4 months. Picture a '4-month calendar block' stamped on your invoice the day you finish work. When that block runs out, your lien right disappears. Four months — four seasons — one chance to file.
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