Artisan Lien

Physical Possession

Continuous physical custody of the tooling is required to establish and maintain this legal protection. If a molder releases the mold to the customer, the artisan lien is lost immediately. The holder of the tooling cannot regain the right by recovering the asset later, meaning the physical custody must be uninterrupted from the time of the service until the dispute is resolved.

Secured Claim

Secured creditor status is granted to the toolmaker through this legal hold, placing them ahead of unsecured creditors in insolvency. When an artisan lien is active, the value of the mold secures the debt. The debtor cannot transfer or sell the mold to a third party without clearing the debt because the lien remains attached to the physical asset.

Property Sale

Enforcement procedures often culminate in a public or private auction to recover unpaid balances. After giving proper notice to the debtor, the molder can sell the mold and use the proceeds to cover the outstanding invoices. This process must follow strict state statutes to prevent liability for wrongful sale.