How to Clear a Judgment Against You

After a creditor takes you to court and wins a judgment against you, you can pay the judgment and have it fully satisfied. Having the judgment satisfied is documented on your credit report so that future creditors see that you have paid the debt. People often don't realize that the creditor doesn't always report the debt as satisfied and it stays open on your credit report, thus affecting future credit. You can, however, get the judgment satisfied and cleared from your record yourself.

Instructions

1

Pay the judgment that has been levied against you. After the full amount is paid, wait one month to give the creditor time to satisfy the judgment with the court. If the creditor has not satisfied the judgment, move forward with the process.

2

Call the creditor or person responsible for placing the judgment against you. This could be the creditor or a law firm for the creditor. Ask them if they are going to satisfy the debt as paid in full. If they tell you that they are not, you will need to get their address. Tell the creditor, you will be sending or bringing them a Satisfaction of Judgment document to them so they can fill out the information needed on the form.

3

Download the Satisfaction of Judgment form from the Internet for your state. If you can't use the Internet, call or visit your local clerk of courts office and ask for the form.

4

Fill out the top portion of the form with your name as the debtor and the name of the plaintiff as noted on the judgment. Enter the case number as noted on the court document.

5

Send or take the document to the creditor. Have the creditor complete the rest of the form where it says that the debt was satisfied. The creditor will sign the form and have it notarized. If you are sending the document, always send along a self-addressed stamped envelop to get the document returned to you.

6

Make four copies of the signed and notarized form. Take the original document to the clerk of courts office. Pay the required fee to process the document. Although each state has different fee requirements, it will cost about $15 to process the Satisfaction of Judgment form. The court will process and form and mark the judgment as satisfied.

7

Wait for one month and check your credit report. If the judgment is not marked as satisfied on your three credit reports, send one copy of the Satisfaction of Judgment form to each of the credit bureaus that are reporting on the judgment. Write a letter to explain what you need done and explain that you are enclosing the form as proof.