GENERAL LIEN, in English law, is the right which a party has to retain a chattel as security for the payment, not only of the particular article, but of any balance that may be due on general account in the same line of business. General liens do not exist at common law, but .depend upon agreement, either express or implied, or upon the usage of trade. Thus, attorneys have a lien for the balance of their accounts over the papers of their clients. Bankers, factors, Warehousemen, and others, have also a lien for the amount due to them on the general balance of their accounts. But it has been held that fullers are not entitled to this privilege, Rose v. Hart, 8 Taunt. 499. The right of wharlingers also is not clear in all cases, Holderness r. Collinson, 7 Barn. and Cres. 212. In regard to carriers, there has been much dispute whether, by the usage of trade, they have a general lien over goods intrusted to them; but the prevailing opinion appears to be that they have. The master of a ship has no lieu on the vessel or her freight for his
disbursements on her account; but now he has the same lien for his wages as a seaman has; 17 and 18 Viet. c. 104, s. 191. By 6 Geo. IV. c. 94, it is.provided that any person in whose name goods are shipped shall be deemed to be the owner so far as to entitle the consignee to a lien for any advances made for the use of such persons, provided the consignees had no notice when the advance was made that they were not the true owners. As a lien rests upon the right to retain possession, it is lost by abandonment of the possession of the goods.
In Scotland, a similar right exists, under the title of retention. See also LIEN, and HYPOTITEC.