What legal action allows the seizure of property to ensure payment of a debt during a lawsuit?

An attachment is a legal action that enables a creditor to secure a claim by seizing or freezing a debtor's property during the course of a lawsuit. This mechanism is typically used when the creditor fears that the debtor may sell or transfer their assets, thereby making it difficult to collect on a potential judgment. By placing an attachment on the property, the court ensures that the property cannot be sold or conveyed without addressing the underlying debt.

This process is crucial in safeguarding the creditor's interests while litigation is ongoing. It provides a level of assurance that, if the creditor wins the lawsuit, there will be assets available to satisfy the debt. The other options, while related to the legal process concerning debts and property, do not perform the same function as an attachment. A lis pendens provides notice of a pending lawsuit but does not involve the seizure of property; a writ of execution allows a court to enforce a judgment after it has been made, and an abstract of judgment is a record that establishes the existence of a judgment but does not itself involve the direct seizure of property.