Which lien gives a creditor the authority to maintain possession of an item until paid?

The lien that gives a creditor the authority to maintain possession of an item until payment is made is known as the artesian lien. This type of lien typically arises in contexts such as services performed on a property or personal property where the service provider has the right to retain possession of the item until payment for those services is received.

The core principle behind an artesian lien is that it serves as a security interest for the creditor, ensuring they have a claim to the item in question until the debt is satisfied. This can be particularly useful in situations where creditors need assurance that they will be compensated for their work or the materials they provided.

In contrast, the other options do not fit the definition of a lien that allows for possession maintenance. A payment lien is not a recognized legal term, a writ of attachment is a court order to seize property for the purpose of securing a legal judgment but does not grant a lien per se, and an expressed warranty pertains to a guarantee about the quality or functionality of a product rather than a security interest in possession. Thus, the artesian lien is the appropriate term related to maintaining possession until payment is fulfilled.