A Wisconsin mechanic’s lien is a claim made against real property by an individual/entity to secure payment for materials/labor on a construction project. When a lien is filed by the claimant, it forces the owner of the property to take action. This might be in the form of an amicable resolution, a dispute against the claim, or foreclosure of the property.

Even if the owner files bankruptcy or the property forecloses, the claimant has a legal right to collect their compensation from the sale of the property. Furthermore, the owner will have a hard time selling the property to avoid the lien; any buyer interested in purchasing the property will be able to see the outstanding lien on the property’s title, as it goes in the public records once it is filed.