What is the primary characteristic of judgment creditors under the discussed statutes?

Judgment creditors are primarily characterized by their vulnerability to prior unrecorded conveyances. This means that if a debtor transfers property to another party without recording that transfer, and the transfer precedes the judgment creditor's efforts to claim a lien or enforce their judgment, the creditor may be unable to assert any rights against the property.

The essence of this characteristic lies in the principle of "notice," where those who are not on record (such as the purchaser of the property) may take the property free of the creditor's claims, especially if they were not aware of the judgment lien due to its unrecorded status. This principle underscores the importance of recording property interests to provide constructive notice to third parties, such as creditors.

This understanding frames why judgment creditors may find themselves at a disadvantage against previous conveyances that have not been documented or recorded, effectively leaving them without recourse in many situations where they presumed an entitlement to enforce against the debtor's property.

Thus, option C highlights a critical aspect of judgment creditors' rights and their standing in relation to property transfers that are not formally recorded.