Which of the following best describes statutory liens?

Statutory liens are best described as arising from legally established rights. This means that they are not created through voluntary agreements between parties, but rather through specific statutes or laws that grant the right to place a lien under certain circumstances. For instance, when a homeowner fails to pay property taxes, a tax lien can be placed on the property by the government, which is an example of a statutory lien.

Other choices focus on different aspects that do not accurately represent statutory liens. Voluntary agreements may create contractual liens, while guaranteeing loans relates more to the banking and credit sectors than to the nature of statutory liens. Lastly, limiting statutory liens to only utility payments disregards the broader range of scenarios where statutory liens can apply, such as mechanics liens or tax liens. These distinctions clarify why the correct choice highlights the legal foundation from which statutory liens derive their validity.