Will a Judgement be removed once paid?
Matthew Harrington
Updated on January 22, 2026
A judgment is sometimes removed if you pay it. Some state laws require judgments to be removed from your credit report when they are paid. Some states also allow debt collectors and creditors to re-file the judgment if it is unpaid, also known as an unsatisfied judgment.
How do you get a Judgement removed?
In order to vacate a judgment in California, You must file a motion with the court asking the judge to vacate or “set aside” the judgment. Among other things, you must tell the judge why you did not respond to the lawsuit (this can be done by written declaration).
How can I get a Judgement removed from my credit report?
You Can Appeal for a Vacated Judgment This can often be done with little trouble by disputing the judgment with the bureaus. Remember that you’ll need to file a separate dispute for each one of the three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — to remove the judgment from all three reports.
Will paying off a Judgement increase your credit score?
Paying off Judgments Will not Improve your Credit Score While the Fair Credit Reporting Act states that a judgment may stay on your credit report for as long as the statute of limitations in your state is in effect, all three bureaus remove judgments at the 7-year mark whether or not they are paid.
What to do after a Judgement is paid?
Once a judgment is paid, whether in installments or a lump sum, a judgment creditor (the person who won the case) must acknowledge that the judgment has been paid by filing a Satisfaction of Judgment form with the court clerk.
What happens if I pay a judgment against me?
Otherwise, the judgment creditor can take steps to recover the debt using collection techniques (more below). If you have a judgment against you, in most cases you’ll be expected to pay the entire amount in one lump sum. However, some courts will set up a payment plan if both parties agree to it at the trial.
Is there a way to remove a court judgment?
How to Remove a Court Judgment. If the individual or business agrees to partial payment or no payment, ask that person or business to file a form called an “Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment” with the court within the time period specified by the laws of your state. Keep records of partial payment or settlement terms.
Do you have to pay judgement on credit card?
In real life, however, if your judgement is for credit card debt, unsecured loans, or other consumer debt, you don’t have to worry about ending up in the streets or giving up all of your wages. There is some property and money that the judgement creditor is not allowed to take from you to pay a civil judgement.
What happens when a judgment is removed from your credit report?
Being rejected for credit may mean that your plans to renovate your house or expand your business have come to a grinding halt. This article explains how you can remove a judgment from your credit report to ensure you can get your plans back on track.