Puisne (/ˈpjuːni/; from Old Frenchpuisné, modern puîné, "later born, younger" (and thence, "inferior") from late Latinpost-, "after", and natus, "born") is a legal term of art used mainly in British English meaning "inferior in rank".[1][2]
In England and Wales, a puisne mortgage is a mortgage over an unregisteredestate in land where the mortgagee (lender) does not take possession of the title deeds from the mortgagor (borrower) as security.[4] A puisne mortgage may be registered with HM Land Registry as a Class C(i) Land Charge under the Land Charges Act 1972,[5][6] although even if such a mortgage is registered it will not necessarily be enforceable.[7][8] Puisne mortgages are generally a second or subsequent mortgage,[9][10] and in the event of default of the mortgagor generally rank in the order of registration, not in the order in which they were created.[11]
See also
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