Priority Contests as Computable Orderings
Priority Contests as Computable Orderings
Worked claimant games order filing, attachment, perfection, lien, buyer, possession, control, and PMSI events without hiding legal predicates.
Structured Visual
Jurisdiction: US; as of 2026-08-28; not legal advice; Render structure, refuse interpretation, cite, abstain, and hand off.
RENDER STRUCTURE · REFUSE INTERPRETATION · CITE · ABSTAIN · HAND-OFF: render structure, refuse interpretation, cite provenance, abstain when unsupported, and hand off to human review.
Scope and honesty note
Jurisdiction: Texas commercial-law anchors and federal debtor-creditor statutes with comparative United States doctrine; as of 2026-08-28; transactions, state law, bankruptcy posture, facts, and remedies vary; synthetic facts are classroom inputs; not legal advice. Render structure, refuse unsupported contract, attachment, perfection, priority, collection, stay, discharge, or remedy conclusions, cite, abstain, and hand off.
See the essential structure first
Start with this deliberately incomplete structure, then use the pinned authorities, worked application, exceptions, and handoff below. This deliberately incomplete preview has 6 nodes; exceptions and legal consequences remain in the sourced prose below.
Jurisdiction: US; as of 2026-08-28; not legal advice; Render structure, refuse interpretation, cite, abstain, and hand off.
RENDER STRUCTURE · REFUSE INTERPRETATION · CITE · ABSTAIN · HAND-OFF: render structure, refuse interpretation, cite provenance, abstain when unsupported, and hand off to human review.
Begin with commercial doctrine
Priority is a legal ordering over fully classified claimants and events, not a sort by one timestamp. Each security interest must attach; its perfection method and time must be determined; competing lien, buyer, statutory, and property claims must be classified; then the general or special priority rule applies. First-to-file-or-perfect can protect an earlier filing once attachment and perfection occur under the statute. PMSI superpriority is not one rule: equipment and other noninventory goods differ from inventory and livestock, particularly on possession-time perfection and advance notice.
Attachment gate
Every competing security interest first needs enforceability against the debtor. Verbatim statutory text: “ATTACHMENT AND ENFORCEABILITY OF SECURITY INTEREST; PROCEEDS; SUPPORTING OBLIGATIONS; FORMAL REQUISITES. (a) A security interest attaches to collateral when it becomes enforceable against the debtor with respect to the collateral, unless an agreement expressly postpones the time of attachment. (b) Except as otherwise provided in Subsections (c)-(j), a security interest is enforceable against the debtor and third parties with respect to the collateral only if: (1) value has been given; (2) the debtor has rights in the collateral or the power to transfer rights in the collateral to a secured party; and (3) one of the following conditions is met: (A) the debtor has authenticated a security agreement that provides a description of the collateral and, if the security interest covers timber to be cut, a description of the land concerned; (B) the collateral is not a certificated security and is in the possession of the secured party under Section 9.313 pursuant to the debtor's security agreement; (C) the collateral is a certificated security in registered form and the security certificate has been delivered to the secured party under Section 8.301 pursuant to the debtor's security agreement; or (D) the collateral is deposit accounts, electronic chattel paper, investment property, letter-of-credit rights, or electronic documents, and the secured party has control under Section 7.106, 9.104, 9.105, 9.106, or 9.107 pursuant to the debtor's security agreement. (c) Subsection (b) is subject to Section 4.210 on the security interest of a collecting bank, Section 5.118 on the security interest of a letter-of-credit issuer or nominated person, Section 9.110 on a security interest arising under Chapter 2 or 2A, and Section 9.206 on security interests in investment property. (d) A person becomes bound as debtor by a security agreement entered into by another person if, by operation of law other than this chapter or by contract: (1) the security agreement becomes effective to create a security interest in the person's property; or (2) the person becomes generally obligated for the obligations of the other person, including the obligation secured under the security agreement, and acquires or succeeds to all or substantially all of the assets of the other person. (e) If a new debtor becomes bound as debtor by a security agreement entered into by another person: (1) the agreement satisfies Subsection (b)(3) with respect to existing or after-acquired property of the new debtor to the extent the property is described in the agreement; and (2) another agreement is not necessary to make a security interest in the property enforceable. (f) The attachment of a security interest in collateral gives the secured party the rights to proceeds provided by Section 9.315 and is also attachment of a security interest in a supporting obligation for the collateral. (g) The attachment of a security interest in a right to payment or performance secured by a security interest or other lien on personal or real property is also attachment of a security interest in the security interest, mortgage, or other lien. (h) The attachment of a security interest in a securities account is also attachment of a security interest in the security entitlements carried in the securities account. (i) The attachment of a security interest in a commodity account is also attachment of a security interest in the commodity contracts carried in the commodity account. (j) Repealed by Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 284 (H.B. 3794), Sec. 5, eff. September 1, 2021.” Source: Tex. Business and Commerce Code § 9.203; https://www.neochart.com/catalog/texas/business_commerce/chapter_9/section_9_203/tex_bc_9_203_b2ad15b67d33/tex_business_commerce_code_sec_9_203_attachment_and_enforcea_0001/index.html; data via neochart.com, snapshot 2026-08.
Perfection method
The filing baseline and exceptions determine whether and how an attached interest becomes perfected. Verbatim statutory text: “WHEN FILING REQUIRED TO PERFECT SECURITY INTEREST OR AGRICULTURAL LIEN; SECURITY INTERESTS AND AGRICULTURAL LIENS TO WHICH FILING PROVISIONS DO NOT APPLY. (a) Except as otherwise provided in Subsection (b) and Section 9.312(b), a financing statement must be filed to perfect all security interests and agricultural liens. (b) The filing of a financing statement is not necessary to perfect a security interest: (1) that is perfected under Section 9.308(d), (e), (f), or (g); (2) that is perfected under Section 9.309 when it attaches; (3) in property subject to a statute, regulation, or treaty described in Section 9.311(a); (4) in goods in possession of a bailee that is perfected under Section 9.312(d)(1) or (2); (5) in certificated securities, documents, goods, or instruments which is perfected without filing, control or possession under Section 9.312(e), (f), or (g); (6) in collateral in the secured party's possession under Section 9.313; (7) in a certificated security that is perfected by delivery of the security certificate to the secured party under Section 9.313; (8) in deposit accounts, electronic chattel paper, electronic documents, investment property, virtual currencies, or letter-of-credit rights that is perfected by control under Section 9.314; (9) in proceeds that is perfected under Section 9.315; or (10) that is perfected under Section 9.316. (c) If a secured party assigns a perfected security interest or agricultural lien, a filing under this Chapter is not required to continue the perfected status of the security interest against creditors of and transferees from the original debtor.” Source: Tex. Business and Commerce Code § 9.310; https://www.neochart.com/catalog/texas/business_commerce/chapter_9/section_9_310/tex_bc_9_310_ad0e6e455f3d/tex_business_commerce_code_sec_9_310_when_filing_required_to_0001/index.html; data via neochart.com, snapshot 2026-08.
Lien and buyer conflicts
The statute supplies timing-sensitive rules for lien creditors and identified buyers. Verbatim statutory text: “INTERESTS THAT TAKE PRIORITY OVER OR TAKE FREE OF SECURITY INTEREST OR AGRICULTURAL LIEN. (a) A security interest or agricultural lien is subordinate to the rights of: (1) a person entitled to priority under Section 9.322; and (2) except as otherwise provided in Subsection (e), a person that becomes a lien creditor before the earlier of the time: (A) the security interest or agricultural lien is perfected; or (B) one of the conditions specified in Section 9.203(b)(3) is met and a financing statement covering the collateral is filed. (b) Except as otherwise provided in Subsection (e), a buyer, other than a secured party, of tangible chattel paper, tangible documents, goods, instruments, or a certificated security takes free of a security interest or agricultural lien if the buyer gives value and receives delivery of the collateral without knowledge of the security interest or agricultural lien and before it is perfected. (c) Except as otherwise provided in Subsection (e), a lessee of goods takes free of a security interest or agricultural lien if the lessee gives value and receives delivery of the collateral without knowledge of the security interest or agricultural lien and before it is perfected. (d) A licensee of a general intangible or a buyer, other than a secured party, of collateral other than tangible chattel paper, tangible documents, goods, instruments, or a certificated security takes free of a security interest if the licensee or buyer gives value without knowledge of the security interest and before it is perfected. (e) Except as otherwise provided in Sections 9.320 and 9.321, if a person files a financing statement with respect to a purchase-money security interest before or within 20 days after the debtor receives delivery of the collateral, the security interest takes priority over the rights of a buyer, lessee, or lien creditor that arise between the time the security interest attaches and the time of filing.” Source: Tex. Business and Commerce Code § 9.317; https://www.neochart.com/catalog/texas/business_commerce/chapter_9/section_9_317/tex_bc_9_317_2aad03edf908/tex_business_commerce_code_sec_9_317_interests_that_take_pri_0001/index.html; data via neochart.com, snapshot 2026-08.
General conflict ordering
The statute supplies first-to-file-or-perfect and unperfected-interest ordering. Verbatim statutory text: “PRIORITIES AMONG CONFLICTING SECURITY INTERESTS IN AND AGRICULTURAL LIENS ON SAME COLLATERAL. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, priority among conflicting security interests and agricultural liens in the same collateral is determined according to the following rules: (1) Conflicting perfected security interests and agricultural liens rank according to priority in time of filing or perfection. Priority dates from the earlier of the time a filing covering the collateral is first made or the security interest or agricultural lien is first perfected, if there is no period thereafter when there is neither filing nor perfection. (2) A perfected security interest or agricultural lien has priority over a conflicting unperfected security interest or agricultural lien. (3) The first security interest or agricultural lien to attach or become effective has priority if conflicting security interests and agricultural liens are unperfected. (b) For the purposes of Subsection (a)(1): (1) the time of filing or perfection as to a security interest in collateral is also the time of filing or perfection as to a security interest in proceeds; and (2) the time of filing or perfection as to a security interest in collateral supported by a supporting obligation is also the time of filing or perfection as to a security interest in the supporting obligation. (c) Except as otherwise provided in Subsection (f), a security interest in collateral that qualifies for priority over a conflicting security interest under Section 9.327, 9.328, 9.329, 9.330, or 9.331 also has priority over a conflicting security interest in: (1) any supporting obligation for the collateral; and (2) proceeds of the collateral if: (A) the security interest in proceeds is perfected; (B) the proceeds are cash proceeds or of the same type as the collateral; and (C) in the case of proceeds that are proceeds of proceeds, all intervening proceeds are cash proceeds, proceeds of the same type as the collateral, or an account relating to the collateral. (d) Subject to Subsection (e) and except as otherwise provided in Subsection (f), if a security interest in chattel paper, deposit accounts, negotiable documents, instruments, investment property, or letter-of-credit rights is perfected by a method other than filing, conflicting perfected security interests in proceeds of the collateral rank according to priority in time of filing. (e) Subsection (d) applies only if the proceeds of the collateral are not cash proceeds, chattel paper, negotiable documents, instruments, investment property, or letter-of-credit rights. (f) Subsections (a)-(e) are subject to: (1) Subsection (g) and the other provisions of this subchapter; (2) Section 4.210 with respect to a security interest of a collecting bank; (3) Section 5.118 with respect to a security interest of an issuer or nominated person; and (4) Section 9.110 with respect to a security interest arising under Chapter 2 or 2A. (g) A perfected agricultural lien on collateral has priority over a conflicting security interest in or agricultural lien on the same collateral if the statute creating the agricultural lien so provides.” Source: Tex. Business and Commerce Code § 9.322; https://www.neochart.com/catalog/texas/business_commerce/chapter_9/section_9_322/tex_bc_9_322_4efe33cb31bf/tex_business_commerce_code_sec_9_322_priorities_among_confli_0001/index.html; data via neochart.com, snapshot 2026-08.
PMSI superpriority
The statute supplies collateral-specific purchase-money timing, perfection, and notice predicates. Verbatim statutory text: “PRIORITY OF PURCHASE-MONEY SECURITY INTERESTS. (a) Except as otherwise provided in Subsection (g), a perfected purchase-money security interest in goods other than inventory or livestock has priority over a conflicting security interest in the same goods, and, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.327, a perfected security interest in its identifiable proceeds also has priority, if the purchase-money security interest is perfected when the debtor receives possession of the collateral or within 20 days thereafter. (b) Subject to Subsection (c) and except as otherwise provided in Subsection (g), a perfected purchase-money security interest in inventory has priority over a conflicting security interest in the same inventory, has priority over a conflicting security interest in chattel paper or an instrument constituting proceeds of the inventory and in proceeds of the chattel paper, if so provided in Section 9.330, and, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.327, also has priority in identifiable cash proceeds of the inventory to the extent the identifiable cash proceeds are received on or before the delivery of the inventory to a buyer, if: (1) the purchase-money security interest is perfected when the debtor receives possession of the inventory; (2) the purchase-money secured party sends an authenticated notification to the holder of the conflicting security interest; (3) the holder of the conflicting security interest receives any required notification within five years before the debtor receives possession of the inventory; and (4) the notification states that the person sending the notification has or expects to acquire a purchase-money security interest in inventory of the debtor and describes the inventory. (c) Subsections (b)(2)-(4) apply only if the holder of the conflicting security interest had filed a financing statement covering the same types of inventory: (1) if the purchase-money security interest is perfected by filing, before the date of the filing; or (2) if the purchase-money security interest is temporarily perfected without filing or possession under Section 9.312(f), before the beginning of the 20-day period under that subsection. (d) Subject to Subsection (e) and except as otherwise provided in Subsection (g), a perfected purchase-money security interest in livestock that are farm products has priority over a conflicting security interest in the same livestock, and, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.327, a perfected security interest in their identifiable proceeds and identifiable products in their unmanufactured states also has priority, if: (1) the purchase-money security interest is perfected when the debtor receives possession of the livestock; (2) the purchase-money secured party sends an authenticated notification to the holder of the conflicting security interest; (3) the holder of the conflicting security interest receives the notification within six months before the debtor receives possession of the livestock; and (4) the notification states that the person sending the notification has or expects to acquire a purchase-money security interest in livestock of the debtor and describes the livestock. (e) Subsections (d)(2)-(4) apply only if the holder of the conflicting security interest had filed a financing statement covering the same types of livestock: (1) if the purchase-money security interest is perfected by filing, before the date of the filing; or (2) if the purchase-money security interest is temporarily perfected without filing or possession under Section 9.312(f), before the beginning of the 20-day period under that subsection. (f) Except as otherwise provided in Subsection (g), a perfected purchase-money security interest in software has priority over a conflicting security interest in the same collateral, and, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.327, a perfected security interest in its identifiable proceeds also has priority, to the extent that the purchase-money security interest in the goods in which the software was acquired for use has priority in the goods and proceeds of the goods under this section. (g) If more than one security interest qualifies for priority in the same collateral under Subsection (a), (b), (d), or (f): (1) a security interest securing an obligation incurred as all or part of the price of the collateral has priority over a security interest securing an obligation incurred for value given to enable the debtor to acquire rights in or the use of collateral; and (2) in all other cases, Section 9.322(a) applies to the qualifying security interests.” Source: Tex. Business and Commerce Code § 9.324; https://www.neochart.com/catalog/texas/business_commerce/chapter_9/section_9_324/tex_bc_9_324_200f2bf421c1/tex_business_commerce_code_sec_9_324_priority_of_purchase_mo_0001/index.html; data via neochart.com, snapshot 2026-08.
Pin the synthetic commercial record
Five synthetic games populate claimant type, collateral, agreement, value, debtor rights, filing, attachment, perfection, lien, possession, control, purchase-money status, debtor possession, authenticated notice, buyer value, delivery, knowledge, and missing facts.
Work the commercial application
Game A applies first-to-file-or-perfect only after both interests attach and perfect. Game B compares lien-creditor time with perfection or the statute's qualifying pre-perfection conditions. Game C checks the noninventory timing window. Game D requires pre-possession perfection and notice for inventory, not the equipment rule. Game E stops until buyer category and statutory predicates are resolved. The retained traces expose unknowns rather than outputting a universal winner.
Reuse the PMSI priority trace
The retained core exposes 3 PMSI, notice, and timing rows and leaves 1 timing row unknown rather than producing a winner.
Read the populated commercial record
The priority-game record contains game, claimant, claim type, debtor, collateral, value, rights, agreement, filing time, attachment time, method, perfection time, continuity, lien time, possession, control, purchase-money status, goods category, debtor possession, notice, buyer type, delivery, knowledge, applicable rule, provisional ordering, exception, unknown, and reviewer handoff. The record contains 20 populated legal rows plus any retained priority artifacts.
Jurisdiction: US; as of 2026-08-28; not legal advice; Render structure, refuse interpretation, cite, abstain, and hand off.
RENDER STRUCTURE · REFUSE INTERPRETATION · CITE · ABSTAIN · HAND-OFF: render structure, refuse interpretation, cite provenance, abstain when unsupported, and hand off to human review.
Read the complete record
The complete record keeps sources, stated facts, and questions for review separate. Pinned sources: Verbatim snapshot authority. Tex. Business and Commerce Code § 9.203: Attachment gate: Attachment gate. Tex. Business and Commerce Code § 9.310: Perfection method: Perfection method. Tex. Business and Commerce Code § 9.317: Lien and buyer conflicts: Lien and buyer conflicts. Tex. Business and Commerce Code § 9.322: General conflict ordering: General conflict ordering. Tex. Business and Commerce Code § 9.324: PMSI superpriority: PMSI superpriority. Synthetic record: Classroom facts and records only. Game A: Bank files first, attaches later; lender attaches and perfects between those events. Game B: Judgment lien creditor arises before secured party perfects. Game C: Equipment financier perfects purchase-money interest within the statutory post-possession period. Game D: Inventory financier files and sends authenticated notice before debtor receives inventory. Game E: Buyer pays value and receives goods while competing secured and lien claims remain. Legal trace: Scope, element, event, date, conflict, consequence, handoff. Normalize events: Claimant, claim type, collateral, value, debtor rights, agreement, filing, attachment, perfection, possession, control, lien, purchase, delivery, notice, knowledge. Game A rule: Conflicting perfected security interests generally ordered by earlier filing or perfection under the statute, even if attachment occurs later, subject to continuity and special rules. Game B rule: Lien-creditor priority depends on when the security interest is perfected or a qualifying filing plus attachment condition is achieved. Game C rule: Noninventory purchase-money goods use the applicable debtor-possession and perfection timing period; verify collateral category and proceeds. Game D rule: Inventory purchase-money priority requires perfection when debtor receives possession and timely authenticated notice to covered conflicting holders, plus statutory predicates. Game E rule: Buyer rules depend on buyer type, value, delivery, knowledge or notice, ordinary course, consumer status, filing and attachment conditions. PMSI notice timing toy priority trace: Overall classroom result: unknown. Purchase-money interest label: PMSI label is selected; authority Toy UCC art. 9 PMSI; fact Purchase-money interest; required true; supplied value true; comparison value true; classroom result satisfied. Notice label: Notice label is present; authority Toy UCC art. 9 PMSI; fact notice; required true; supplied value true; comparison value true; classroom result satisfied. Timing label: Timing label is present; authority Toy UCC art. 9 PMSI; fact timing; required true; supplied value unknown; comparison value true; classroom result unknown. Buyer lien conflict priority labels: Query buyer lien conflict label review; query words buyer, lien, conflict, label, review; query word count 5; jurisdiction US classroom UCC Article 9 toy model; source type priority_label; Toy UCC Article 9 priority model; not legal advice; structure only; human review required. Model: Buyer lien conflict priority labels.; exact-citation lookup not requested; retrieval support count 2; abstention false. Retrieval scores are not legal authority. Buyer record: Buyer label row ordinary course flag review needed no outcome.; citation Toy UCC art. 9 buyer row; source Toy UCC Article 9 priority packet; jurisdiction US classroom UCC Article 9 toy model; as of 2026-06-24; source type priority_label; word count 10; matches 3; score 3 of 5; filter match true; exact lookup match false; retrieval display rank 1; displayed excerpt Buyer label row ordinary course flag review needed no outcome.. Lien record: Lien creditor label row date flag review needed no outcome.; citation Toy UCC art. 9 lien row; source Toy UCC Article 9 priority packet; jurisdiction US classroom UCC Article 9 toy model; as of 2026-06-24; source type priority_label; word count 10; matches 3; score 3 of 5; filter match true; exact lookup match false; retrieval display rank 2; displayed excerpt Lien creditor label row date flag review needed no outcome..
Narrow summary
Normalize every claimant and event, prove attachment and perfection, select the exact general or special rule, and keep unresolved facts visible rather than forcing a rank.