Can I get a judgment removed from my credit report?
I had a Judgement entered on feb/2012 for a $400 medical bill. It increased to $800 once it was sold to a debt collector. The collector reached out to me to make payments but I could not due to lack of funds. Long story short. A judgement was served to my then boyfriend at the time (feb/2012) because he opened my door and confirmed I lived at that residence. Missed court date so the collector received a default judgement against me. Started making payments of $100 every month until I lost my job again. I haven't heard from them since. I made 2 or 3 payments total after the judgement was in place.
I want to fix this debt but I want the judgement to be removed from my credit report. Called the collector 2 months ago informing them I would make two split to pay balance in full within 1 month. They declined saying they would gladly accept the payment but will not remove the judgement they will only said judgement settled on my cr. The firm is a building not far from home maybe 20 min ago with an office of like 5 ppl. Not sure if i can go in face to face to make arrangement again with my same terms or speak to another agent and or person in charge. Not sure if its something i can do on my own to meet my terms or if i need to get my own attorney to do the negotiating for me. Really want to take care of this before it increase any higher than it already is or worse/wage garnishment. btw I live in M0.
How can I get a judgement removed off my account if I pay the balance in full? Is this something i can do on my own if told
—Jai
Short answer
Not by asking whoever is collecting. Debt collectors, debt buyers and collection attorneys cannot make your original creditor change what it reports, and nobody collecting the debt controls the court record. Removing a judgment means getting it vacated. For most people the practical move is to pay or settle it and make sure a satisfaction of judgment gets filed.
Key points on this page
- There is a hierarchy to credit reporting. Collectors, debt buyers and collection attorneys cannot change what the bank reports, and original creditors have no real influence over the court record once judgment is entered.
- The judgment is a matter of public record and the court maintains it. Getting it vacated takes an attorney who knows that work, or a lot of your own time and energy.
- Judgment debt carries a 7 year shelf life, and that clock starts on the date the judgment was entered, not on your first missed payment.
- The earlier stages, from first late payment through charge off and collection reporting, carry about a 7.5 year shelf life from the date you missed your first payment.
- Paying or settling the judgment results in a satisfaction of judgment. Put the filing of that satisfaction in the agreement in clear terms, because there is no shortage of feet dragging on updating the court.
- Once the satisfaction is on the court record you can use it to update your credit report yourself, which matters when you are trying to get a home loan approved or refinance. On a small balance, paying it also heads off garnishment.
It sounds like your main goal is to resolve the debt and get the negative off of your credit report. Unfortunately, you are fighting a losing battle with this approach.
Getting a Court Judgment Removed From Your Credit Report
The life time credit cycle of a debt that goes unpaid looks like this:
- 30 days after you miss a payment to a creditor, like a credit card bill, you should see a thirty day late pay on your credit report if the item appeared there already and is updated regularly.
- 60 days after a missed payment you now would have 2 payments skipped and are considered 60 days late.
- As long as you continue to miss payments month by month you are being reported as an additional month late.
- Ultimately the creditor will charge off the debt and take an accounting hit. The charge off is often then reflected on your credit report.
The Life Cycle of Credit Damage
After missing payments on unsecured (and most other debts), your account may take on some additional qualities after charge off.
5. If a debt collector/debt buyer has the account and reports it as a collection on your credit report, with a balance due, the charge off from the original creditor remains, and the new negative will be reporting a balance due them, not the original creditor.
6. If you are sued for collection and judgment entered in the court, the judgment can turn up in the public record section of your credit profile.
Most of the negative credit impact from missing bill payments does not get to #6. One through 5 has a 7.5 year shelf life from the date you missed your first payment. There are some shenanigans that occur with credit reporting and debt collection accounts being reported with more recent dates, and even instances of multiple entries showing up for the same debt and more than one reporting a balance due, which is not right because you cannot owe the same debt to more than one place.
I am pointing out the above as a brief outline for later readers of this page. A little perspective of what happens to credit reports along the way when a bill remains unpaid is a good foundation for what I have to share about getting a judgment removed from credit reports.
Credit Reporting, Collectors, Debt Buyers, or Attorneys Collecting Debt
There is a hierarchy to who can do what when it comes to credit reporting. Debt collectors, debt buyers, and attorneys that collect debt cannot make your original creditor change what the bank is reporting to the credit bureaus. And even the original creditors have no real influence over the court records once the judgement is entered.
The judgment is a matter of public record. The integrity of that record is maintained by the court. You would need to get the judgment vacated, or the judgment creditor to somehow miraculously want to undo their suing you (doesn’t happen).
Unless you have a good argument for getting the judgment vacated, and are willing to spend the money on an attorney who knows what they are doing when it comes to accomplishing something like this, or dedicate a hell of a lot of personal time and energy to learning how to do it for yourself, the judgment will stay in the record with the court.
Judgment debt has a 7 year shelf life too, but the time only starts ticking from the date the judgment was entered.
Is this a big deal? Not for most people. Getting the judgment paid, even for less than the balance owed if that is agreed to, will result in a satisfaction of judgment being filed. You can use the court record to rapidly update your credit report yourself if you are dealing with the judgment in order to get a home loan approved, or refinance a current mortgage.
Be sure that any pay off agreement, whether in full, or for less than the judgment balance, includes filing the satisfaction with the court. There is no shortage of feet dragging when it comes to updating the court.
Paying Off or Settling a Judgment Debt Can Be Done on Your Own
It is always best to discuss legal matters with an attorney who practices in a specific area of law. In this case, one with credit reporting or debt collection experience. Hiring one to help resolve an 800.00 debt may not make sense unless you want to battle the judgment itself.
With a smaller debt amount such as this one, you can get the payment in and avoid garnishment. Just be sure that any agreement to pay includes in clear terms that upon receipt of payment, or the full agreement being met, a judgment satisfaction will be filed with the court.
Improving Your Credit Report After Payment Setbacks and Judgments
I will have a series up at the beginning of the year that details credit report recovery and tips for increasing credit scores after bouncing back from a tough financial patch. In the mean time, if you can answer the following questions in a comment reply, I can give some more feedback:
What are your immediate financial and credit goals (buying a home, car, other)?
What other negatives appear on your credit report beside the original payment default related to the judgment debt, and the judgment itself?
What positive items are appearing on your credit report right now?
Need some personalized help?
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- request a general debt consultation here
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- use the CRN Platform to settle your debts or find dedicated Debt Coach here
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About Michael BoveeMichael started CRN in 2004 with a mission to provide people in need with detailed debt and credit help and education. Michael has participated as an expert panelist in federal consumer protection rule making, collaborated on state law changes governing debt consolidation, has worked as an expert witness in court matters related to the debt relief industry. He is available to speak with you about your financial struggle and helps people resolve their debt problems daily.
Hi Michael, I have a email that is between my debt relief counselor and an attorney(on letterhead) that is an agreement on a settlement that was dated a week before my court date. I foolishly didn’t go thinking that the agreement was reached and terms were set making court a moot point….wrong. The same attorneys that reached the agreement with FDR were the same attorneys that showed up at court at which time I received a Default Judgement. Something just doesn’t seem right here but I am afraid it is more of a moral issue. I would greatly appreciate your input.
Who was it that sued (name of creditor or collector)? Who was the law firm that handled the case?
What were the terms of the settlement agreement?
I will be better able to offer feedback if I had more of those above details. Also, what did Freedom Debt Relief say about the judgment (if anything)?
Hello again Michael, I was sued by Portfolio who was represented by Gamache & Meyers law Firm, St Louis, MO. I am paying the amount of $340 per month until Feb 2016. FDR never told me about the suit, I told them. I have an automatic payment of $1106 that is withdrawn by FDR and then placed into another account, CFTPay, that issues the checks to the creditors. In researching that account (CFTPay), it shows a check was sent to Gamache & Meyers on Sept 20, 2013 that was sent 2 day delivery and my court date was Sept 23, 2013. I just checked past paperwork and found an email from FDR congratulating me on a settlement with Gamache & Meyers with date of settlement Sept 25, 2013 with the settlement % savings being zero. The entire amount of $9995.11 would be paid. Again any incite is appreciated….good or bad!!!
Thanks for sharing more of the details David.
My feedback is all after the fact. It is neither good nor bad. What is already done cannot be undone. Would I have encouraged you to look at some other approaches back then? Yes.
You have a satisfied judgment. This fact will not necessarily hold you back from accomplishing your home ownership goals moving forward.
I been in debt program for about 41 months and about done now but I have collections, bad debts and settled for less than full amounts all over the place. I am 66 years old, retired military, 2 tours in SEA and it looks like the chances of my giving my wife a new home are nil. I do have a question but I would like to state that these problems were caused by me and nobody else. I knew what I was getting into and and nobody had a gun to my head. Now……I know better! My question is if i have a judgement that “the execution is stayed until the debt is payed, at which time it will be deemed fully satisfied”, will that judgement be filed on my public record?
The collections and settled for less showing on your credit reports are very common when signing up with a debt settlement company, or when settling debts on your own.
I am not certain what took place with the collection that reached the court. Did you reach a settlement on that debt that is still being paid? Have all payments on this negotiated deal been paid on time? Who was it that sued, and who is the attorney for the debt collector?
Hi Michael, Firstly it was a Consent Judgment Entry that was ” FURTHER ORDERED AND AGREED that execution will be stayed pending defendant(s) settlement payment in the amount of $6,602.32 to be paid to plaintiff in monthly installments as follows: 6 $50 installments to be paid beginning on 6/28/2012 and monthly thereafter until 11/28/2012
On 12/28/2012, monthly payments shall increase to $350.00, and will continue until $6,250 is paid,at which time a final monthly payment of $352.32 would be made settling the account in full. After $6602.32 is paid, this judgement will be deemed fully satisfied”. It then goes on about missing payments. Which none were missed as they were being paid by FDR. We received a SATISFACTION OF JUDGEMENT letter stated it was sent on 9/4/2014 from DAVID A KRAFT & ASSOCIATES, LLC, KC, MO. The attorneys that filed suit in behalf of AMERICAN EXPRESS CENTURION BANK. The terms of this judgement were the terms of the settlement between FDR and the attorneys. Thanks again for any help even if nothing is done. Sometimes somebody just caring is enough!!
If you approved the consent to judgment, and one was entered, there is not much to work with. It is likely part of the court record, and if it is, it should show as paid or satisfied. Paid judgments, and the paid or settled collections showing on your credit reports, will not always hold you back from getting a home loan approved.
Do you know if your credit scores are 620 or higher?
2 of my scores are 625 or higher and 1 is lower. 2 have gone up 10 points in 3 months. Me and Fair Isaac have become close friends. Thanks a lot Michael I thank you and from what I see you help a lot of other people too.
A 620 credit score is what many lenders see as a minimum to qualify you for FHA loans. Your middle score is higher than 620, so credit scores will not necessarily hold you back from a home loan. If all of the old debts are resolved, your current monthly cash flow, and debt to income, will be what to look at next.
You could connect with a local bank that offers FHA financing, or even look into any opportunities that may be available with VA loans.
Hello Micheal I had a judment against me during 2010 on a apartment I was evicted from since then I haven’t been able to find another apartment be cause it kept showing up on my credit when they ran it since then I have went thru the Lexington Law firm and it has been removed from my TransUnion and Equifax I was wondering would I be able to apply for a new one before it shows back up?
If the property management company uses TransUnion or Equifax as the source for their credit checks, now would be a good time for them to do that. You can even ask the person you drop off the application with who they use for credit checks.
Hi Michael,
I have a 4 years old default credit card debt judgement, and I’m looking for a lawyer in CA to do all the paperwork and negotiate a payment. I know it’s hard to negotiate judgements, but I’m ready to pay it off with a lamp sum payment. Now it’s around ~ $20K for a 2008 credit card debt, if we can get it down to 12K, it would be great.
Can you please recommend an experienced lawyer in San Francisco/Bay Area who can help me with this?
Thanks for your help!
I am sending you an email with contact details to Jeremy Golden, a highly experienced consumer law attorney in Southern California. Jeremy handles cases all over California, as distance is often not an issue in theses cases. Settling with the attorney that got the judgement would not require an appearance in court.
He offers an initial consult at no cost.
PS
In terms of the good, I have an auto loan that is in perfect standing over the past 2 years, another one prior to that which was also in perfect standing. My consolidated student loans are in good shape and Pay As You Earn means I have an affordable monthly payment tied to my salary.
Mainly wondering:
–if Good Will letters could help with some negatives on my old student loan records (which are now showing as paid in full due to consolidation, with the consolidated loan in good standing)?
— if Pay For Delete will help with the judgment/garnishment getting cleared from my records?
— if a new line of secured credit would help my score overall?
The positive auto loans add to my impression of fixing what you can, and giving yourself time. Once resolved collection accounts like the judgment, and student debts brought current have time to season, you will not be in all that bad a shape all things considered.
Good will letters on student debts are not likely going to lead to any credit improvements.
Hi Michael,
Thank you for all the advice, I have learned a lot reading this thread. Now I have specific questions. My credit score right now is 560.
1) I had majorly delinquent student loan debt (over 120 days late), including a full year of missed payments. I recently consolidated my student loans in Oct 2014 under Pay As You Earn. So they are no longer delinquent and are now in good standing, with 2 months of on time payments. But of course the giant string of missed payments show up on my history.
2) I have one credit account that has gone into collections and has a public judgement recorded and my wages are currently being garnished. The judgment was for a total of a little under $3,000 and I have paid around $1800 into it so far through the garnishment. Do you know if, at this point, a “pay for delete” and/or a good will removal letter to the creditors could end up with any results if I explain the situation? If so would I write to the original debtor, or to the collection agency, or both? I would be able to pay off the entire rest of what’s owed in January.
3) I have one credit card with $1,100 left on it, that is old and I don’t use anymore. It is in good standing with no late payments, but is at 65% of the limit. I will be able to pay it down to 1% in mid-January but not before. This one isn’t really an issue because I know exactly how to deal with it when the time comes.
4) Do you think it would help or hurt me to get a secured credit card and be responsible with it right now?
My immediate goal is to relocate to a new city in a different state, and get an apartment living alone. With my current salary I can afford it, my only worry is getting past the credit check. I’m also applying for jobs and want my score to improve in case they do a background check.
(The reason for the delinquency is that I had an injury that led to medical problems leaving me unable to pay my debt. The reason for the injury is, I was in an abusive relationship where my partner controlled my finances, and injured me badly including broken bones so I was unable to work, and when I was able to re enter the workforce he was controlling my bank accounts and mails. I left him about a year ago and have managed to turn my financial situation around completely. But the negatives are still there and my credit in ruins for now.)
2. A pay for delete on a judgment, and in the situation you are in with the garnishment, is simply not going to happen.
4. I would not apply for any additional credit right now, when you have at least one revolving consumer credit account that is updating as pays on time currently. With just getting your student loans out of default, and maybe getting your credit reports updated to show a satisfied judgment in the near future (by paying the judgment off as you suggested), I would wait to see what your credit looks like in 6 months before taking any addition credit building steps.
Thanks for the advice.
I am changing jobs next month, and the garnishment will not be done. Is there any way to contact them and pay off the balance somehow or negotiate a percentage? I just don’t want to follow me to a new job and I’d rather pay it off in full if that’s possible.
You can pay off the judgment any time. It is difficult to get a reduced payoff settlement for a judgment debt when you are being garnished (they know they are going to get paid as long as you have the job,and do not meet state exemptions). But when you leave that job for another, they will not get the garnishment amount until they locate your new job and get that in place. Negotiating the lower pay off a bit after you leave your current job is great timing. And the fact that you can pay it fully if need be means really have nothing to lose if you wanted to go for some savings.
hi,
I have a judement entered against me for $4100.00 but my credit report has the amount listed as $4,700.00. I wanted to pay the debt off so i spoke with the landlord lawyer but she has gotten no response from her. I’ve also sent her a email and left voice messages but she still havent responded. what can i do in order to get this issue resolved and off my credit report?
It is unlikely to get the judgment set aside from the court record in return for paying it off. But getting the court record updated to show it is now satisfied will often help you move forward with your credit goals.
Is the attorney trying to reach their client to get something you proposed approved?
The landlords attorney says she being trying to reach her as well but she is not getting a response from her. the next question i have is that can i pay the judgement to the court?
thanks for your advice
You can often pay the court directly. Contact the clerk of the court and ask about how to proceed with that.
Hi Mike,
I have a situation similar to someone who posted a while back:
I was in a car accident in 2009, and was personally sued for damages to the other driver’s car. However, I had attorney representation from Geico who handled the entire situation and I never had to go to court. There is a judgment on my credit report that shows “Civil claim paid.” I personally did not pay this claim (Geico paid it), nor was it late/sent to collections. It never affected me before now, so I haven’t looked into the issue previously; but recently I was denied a credit limit increase on one of my long-standing credit accounts and this judgment was listed as a reason why I was denied credit.
Is there anything I can do about this? Or am I forced to be denied credit for the next two years while I wait for this to fall off my report?
You are pretty much stuck with the outcome of that lawsuit being on your credit reports. And right or wrong, that unfortunately means some creditors will turn aside your business, or deny you additional credit access.
My question is this…
We have a judgment filed in our name from 2009. It is scheduled to fall off in 4/16. Weare selling our home and want to use proceeds to pay off our debts. My question is will paying this judgment reset the clock for removal? WE are hoping to buy another home in about a year. Our scores are currently in the low 600’s. I also have someolder collections that I want to pay off. The collection agencies are midland for 4500 and portfolio collections for 570. The original creditors were Barclay credit card and Orchard bank credit card respectively. We live in louisiana. Will paying off these old ddbts hurt our score. We have established some new credit recently with cards from capital one. We also have some auto loans in good standing.
They do not get a new set of years for credit reporting with judgment debts of this nature.
You may see a temporary drop to your credit scored due to the freshness that comes to the negative entries by their being updated as resolved. But then again, you may not. It will depend on the scoring model used. In any event, given a year between getting the judgment paid, and other settlements updated to your credit, you could be in good shape for FHA type of underwriting approval.
Hi Mike,
I have a question about a judgment i received in 2009. I had a car that was repossessed in 2008 and they sent me letter telling me that they sold the car at auction. They decided to take me to court over the remaining balance that they did not get in the auction and I was served the papers but during the time we were suppose to go to court my daughter had just been diagnosed with cancer. There was no way I could make the court appearance, due to the fact she was undergoing treatment.
I have been contacted by the collection agency that holds the account and they offered me a lower settlement but at the time I couldn’t pay what they were asking for and I am in the process of trying to buy a home. That judgment is my only hold up. What is the best way to approach the collection agency to get a settlement that is in my budget? What should I ask for when speaking with them? I was thinking about being beside a fax machine so that if a agreement is reached they have to fax over a document that states the debt has been paid so I can take it down to court house and to my lender.
I am desperate at this point because I lost everything in a one year’s time frame and I am now able to at least get my kids back into a house that they can call theirs.
What was the amount of the lower settlement offer they made prior, and what was the approximate date the offer was made?
You can settle this judgment, and still save money, but what are you budgeting for?
If you were declined a home loan, your credit is going to show the inquiries. Debt collectors use software that gives them real time access to your credit reports if they want it. You may/may not look like a file that should pay more to them as a result.
Thanks Mike for getting back to me. They offered me a one time payment of 5000 or 9000 paid over 4 years. This was back in March of this year.
Oh I am budgeting for 3000-4000. Nothing more than that.
You have a shot at settling for under 50% with a judgment this old. If you stick to your guns and convey a hardship scenario well, one that takes into account that debt collectors have real time access to your credit reports, you can do this. You do not have to get all this done on a single call.
Read through this article and the many comments for tips and information you can use: https://consumerrecoverynetwork.com/how-call-bank-negotiate-credit-card-yourself/#comment-168673.
Michael,
I’m applying for an apartment and my credit was ran and its showing that as per Experian I have a judgment. It’s in TN, the SOL has passed which is 10 years and its not on my Experian CR, however I was told it’s showing up through a 3rd party. How can I get this removed? I have contacted the court and have spoken to the clerk who advised me to request a “10 Year Letter.” I’ve done this and have it. I called Experian and they told me it wasn’t on my report, however it is showing up when a credit check is being done.
Ask the apartment complex which report they are relying on for the denial. As soon as you know that, post who it is and lets go from there.
I was told Experian is who they run credit with.
Hi Michael,
I have a question about this Court Judgement that I just notice a few months ago. I’ve try to contact the Apartment complex but no one return my call. At that time, my ex and I were living together. I was the main co-signer on the lease for the apartment. I want the Court Judgement removed by I’m not sure which route I should take. I went to annual report and got to look at all three credit reports to find any information. But after looking at all three, I didn’t find any information on collectors/debit collectors. I want to talk to the clerk and file papers to do installment plans but I’m a bit scared about the garish on my wages.
How much is the judgment for? How long ago was the judgment entered in the court record? What can you afford to pay each month? What state do you live in?
If you can post your answer to those questions, I can likely be of more assistance.
Had a summons delivered on Aug. 7, on summons there was a number to call to settle debt to keep out of court which was scheduled for the 27th. Contacted and number was dead, left messages with no response, but attempted contact for 17 days multiple time per day. Finally looked up attorney online and called the office, explained that we would pay in full to avoid court, they accepted payment on the 24th, and on the 27th the attorney went into court and filed judgement against us AFTER agreement and monies were exchanged. I have the receipt for payment with their letterhead on the 24th signed with case number and recipient of monies, the judgement was filed on the 27th and the 10th of the next month I hold the letter where they advised the court that the matter was satisfied in full. Is this not a clear violation of (4) of the the FCRA?
I am in Tennessee, and this kept us from a refi that would have saved us over 230K and we missed the opportunity,
While I could contact the attorney that received the payment, I feel that I have been violated, and even if it was by mistake, I paid dearly fort he mistake of missing a single bill out of many over the same period. I feel that since the number given by the attorney was never answered, and the fact that the judgement was filed three days after agreement was made, that this could be an intentional attack on us for not paying the bill prior. Any idea who in Tennessee who could not only remove this illegitimate judgement, but also look to see if I can recoup the damages done by the frivolous attack on my person?
It is time for the people to go after these collectors with no morals and act as slimeballs against the people for profit. While I would be satisfied from the removal of this judgement, I feel I have suffered damages, and mistake or not I didnt have a day in court to represent myself as I was told not to appear on the 27th as jno action would be taken.
I sent you an email with several consumer law attorneys in Tennessee listed. All of them have debt collection defense experience. And that is how I would approach this, as it is the court record that needs to be addressed in order to permanently affect your credit reports.
Post an update with your progress.
We got a summons from a medical collections agency and I have made a payment agreement with them (I can not pay in full at this time). The court date is in November and I am wondering if I need to file a response with the court? And also what will this do on our credit (a judgement against us). They say I don’t need to do anything but I am trying to be sure what the consequences really are. Trying to rebuild our credit and just want to know if I have any options. Colorado
Juls – If you are trying to rebuild your credit, you will want to do everything you can to prevent this lawsuit from turning into a judgment on your credit report.
What is the amount owed?
What is the amount you agreed to pay each month?
What was the date you were served the summons?
How old is the debt?
Judgements on credit reports are not the end of your credit options. Once the judgment is updated to show paid/satisfied, you can go on to accomplish goals like refinancing, or purchasing a new home, while the judgment is on the reports.
Hi,
I was sued several months ago for a private student loan in default which was sold to an attorney.
I went to court without a lawyer (stupid) and admitted to the debt, I mean there were papers signed by me so what could I do. However, the judge told me to write a payment plan proposal to the attorney offering a certain amount. I would then be advised if it was accepted or rejected.
I never got any letter or document in response to my proposal, nor did I receive a notice of the Consent to Judgement. Suddently they garnished my bank account I had no forewarning whatsoever. They are also claiming to be attempting to garnish my wages for 25%.
I looked up my credit report on Kredit Karma and saw the debt was delinquent status and open. However, today I looked at it again and the account was removed.
What does this mean? I probably am foolishly hoping it means something good for me, but I am hoping for some sage advice.
Thank you
The student loan not showing on your credit report in the normal way it was prior could just be temporary. And it sounds like the judgment that is now in the court records has not been updated to your credit reports yet. But that is a new blemish you should realistically expect to hold you back from achieving future credit goals until it is resolved.
It would be a good idea to consult with an attorney now. Also, you do have options to contest the garnishment. Ask the court clerk about requesting a hearing to contest. And keep little money in your bank accounts for now, until you come up with a plan.
Here is more details about dealing with judgment debts: https://consumerrecoverynetwork.com/question/can-you-settle-credit-card-judgements-like-other-debts-stressed/
I have a question. I have a judgment from C&F Finance company for a car loan. At the time of the claim being brought against me my daughter had just been diagnosed with cancer. I had no choice but to get her to radiation and chemo treatments. I could not to court and defend myself. I live in NC is there any way I could get it vacated or is that just too late? This company is known for it’s illegal practices with debt collections and court cases against it’s consumers. Please help because it’s been 6 years and it’s my only hold up with buying my house.
I think you will have a real hard time getting a judgment 6 years old vacated. If you have a shot at it, it would likely be from hiring an experienced consumer law attorney, which has a cost and risk. You may be able to settle this for less than it would cost to challenge it in court. Paid or settled judgments can still get you approved for a mortgage.
How much is the judgment for?
Hi michael
I have a judgment on my credit report I’m trying to get removed I’m just not sure how to go about removing it the judgment is for a bail bond I Co signed for a friend’s friend and they never went to court but were caught I believe within 30 days after there court date and now i found out i have a judgment because of this and i don’t know if there is anything I can do about it there is also 3 other people listen on the judgment for $14,000
I would want to talk this over with a debt collection defense attorney before doing anything else. What is the name of a nearby larger city?
There is no “large” cities Toms river nj is probably best
I sent you a short list of experienced attorneys you can consult with. All of them are about an hours drive away, but that should not be an issue.
Mr bovee,
i have a judgemnt in texas from an eviction in 2008. i finally am in position to pay off the judgement, but the apt. complex has been sold atleast once, perhaps twice. Tried contacting the complex, and after being sent to multiple people in the owning buisness (northland) i was told they cannot help me. I was told i need to send a certified letter to the complex, informing them that i have tried to pay, and they have not giving me a route to do so, so i can trigger a hearing with the JP Court. What should such a letter say? where might i find an example?
I would work with a consumer law attorney on this, and one with experience defending people against banks and debt collectors in the court.
Post the name of a nearby larger city and I can help you locate one.
hi michael!
I need help in improving my credit score. currently it’s at a 531.. I have all medical bills that have a negative impact on my score. i didnt have insurance at that time. I also have student loans still showing but because I started paying on them they are out of collections and are out of default, but I haven’t seen any change on my score. and lastly I have a court judgment on my report from an old medical bill. now when it comes to that, as soon as I received the judgement I payed it off within a few weeks. I also received a satisfaction letter as well. now my concern is why is this still on my credit report? currently I have $1483 in collections for medical bills. I don’t have much credit established which is why I believe I have such a low score. what if I pay off all medical bills.. how long will that come off my report? what can I do to improve my score? and also I need assistance about my court judgement even though I paid it.. why am I still seeing this on my report?
When did the student loans come out of default?
When was it that the judgment was entered in the record and then quickly paid? Is the judgment showing as satisfied on your credit reports now? It will typicality take 7 years from the date of judgment entry in the court for that to fall off your credit reports. But it does not have to hold you back from your credit and finance goals that whole time.
While you need to resolve the old medical collections on your credit report, you also need to establish credit. You have a thin credit file. And what is there is stuff that hurts you.
How long will it take to resolve and pay the medical bills outstanding? How old are those debts? What state do you live in?
my loans came out of default in august. and no, the court judgement still states “filed” on my record. which was filed November of 2013 and I payed it I believe in December. I called the court and they have in their records that it was satisfied but it’s not reflecting that on my score. also after logging into credit karma I had 7 medical bill accounts removed recently as well, but I saw no change in my score. 3 of the 4 medical bills are from January 2014 and the last one is from 2 years ago. being that it’s only 1483 I will most likely pay that in full or most. and I love in ohio.
I would send a written dispute to the credit reporting agencies regarding the satisfied judgment. Send that certified mail return receipt. Include proof you paid the judgment. Keep a copy of all communications and the green return card in a safe place. If this does not get the credit report updated post an update.
Get those medical bills taken care of and updated to show as being resolved with a zero balance(does not really matter if you pay in full or settle for lower lump sum). Once you do that, start adding good credit history. I like the credit matching tool available at http://www.credit.com. Look for an unsecured card that is the most likely to approve your credit profile, and get one card for now. You may need to start with an unsecured card, and I like Bank of America’s program for those.
Hi Micheal
I really hope that you could help me here as I am not getting any satisfactory responses to this situation:
I was a student in US since August 2005 and left US in June 2007, when I left- I had 3 credit cards issued in my name. During my stay, I was always particular of not missing any payments and making sure that what I owe was paid in full every month. Recently I got a job offer to move to US in Feb 2015 so I decided to pull my free credit report and I am shocked to see the below details:
– 3 special civil par dockets 6k+5k+1K (date filed 1/10, 10/09, 7/09)
– credit card 1 (4k limit maxed to 5K) in October 07 (after I left the country for good)
– credit card 2 (4k limit maxed to 5K) in Feb 08 (after I left the country for good)
– credit card 3 (3k limit maxed to 3.5K) in October 07 (after I left the country for good)
– credit card 4 (1k limit maxed to 1.5K) in Jan 2008 (note: the issue date of the card is 08/2007 after i had left US)
– there are 3 collection companies listed
(1. saying account paid in full for $128),
(2. status in collection for 5k) and
(3. status in collection for 5k)
I called the banks and they have no history of transactions as accounts are closed and sold to collections which is very frustrating.
removal dates as shown
Credit card 1 – 12/14
Credit card 2 – 9/14
Credit card 3 – 10/14
Credit card 4 – 8/14
My Biggest mistake that I dint cancel my cards before leaving US
Please advise, i have this great job offer that i have to accept by December or I will lose it
Thanks in advance
Ash
What state were the lawsuit in?
What are the names of each plaintiff that sued?
What state will the job you are thinking about taking be in?