💰 Solo's Debt Payoff Giveaway — Enter for a chance to win up to $4,700 to pay off your debt! 🎉                      💰 Solo's Debt Payoff Giveaway — Enter for a chance to win up to $4,700 to pay off your debt! 🎉                      💰 Solo's Debt Payoff Giveaway — Enter for a chance to win up to $4,700 to pay off your debt! 🎉
Start My Answer
loading...

What Happens If a Defendant Does Not Pay a Judgment?

George Simons | December 07, 2023

George Simons
Co-Founder of SoloSuit
George Simons, JD/MBA

George Simons is the co-founder and CEO of SoloSuit. He has helped Americans protect over $1 billion from predatory debt lawsuits. George graduated from BYU Law school in 2020 with a JD-MBA. In his spare time, George likes to cook, because he likes to eat.

Edited by Hannah Locklear

Hannah Locklear
Editor at SoloSuit
Hannah Locklear, BA

Hannah Locklear is SoloSuit’s Marketing and Impact Manager. With an educational background in Linguistics, Spanish, and International Development from Brigham Young University, Hannah has also worked as a legal support specialist for several years.

Summary: When you're sued for debt, you might not know what to do. You might try to ignore the debt and how it goes away. When that doesn't work, you might find yourself with a summary judgment against you. Is it a good idea to ignore the judgment? Read more to find out what happens if you don't pay.

You've just received a judgment. Or maybe it's been floating around for a while. And it's a lot of money. You might be wondering, “Should I even pay it?”

Read on to find out what happens if a defendant does not pay a judgment.

Find Out What a Judgment Means for You

A judgment comes after someone is sued. Whoever wants to collect money from you (the creditor) will first file a lawsuit, and then, the court will decide what or how you need to pay. That decision is the judgment.

It's usually the amount you owe plus any interest.

As you're trying to figure out what happens if a defendant does not pay a judgment, you may see the word “judgment” combined with other words. Here's a vocabulary cheat sheet to help you through any confusion:

  • Vacated judgment. This means the judgment has been wiped from your record as if it never happened. If you think you've been judged unfairly (for example, maybe no one told you about the lawsuit so you couldn't even show up), you can make a motion to vacate the judgment.
  • Unsatisfied judgment. This means the debt has not been settled.
  • Satisfied judgment. This means the debt has been settled.
  • Stipulated judgment. This is an alternative to a full-blown judgment. You and the creditor sign an agreement to settle the debt in a certain way. Maybe it's a smaller lump sum. Maybe it's a payment plan. This is a good option if you are confident you can deliver what you promise.
  • Renewed judgment. This means the creditor has re-filed an unsatisfied judgment before it expires.

Avoid a default judgment by filing a response with SoloSuit.

Learn What Happens If You Don't Pay

Unfortunately, only bad things will happen when a defendant does not pay a judgment. A judgment doesn't just ask you nicely until you agree. It basically gives the creditor permission to take the money from you, even if you won't give it willingly.

Your Property and Wages Might Be Seized Over Debt

Here's how it might go: Backed by the judgment, the creditor can request an execution from the court. That gives an enforcement officer (like a Sheriff or City Marshal) the green light to go seize and sell your stuff. They could haul your collector car off to an auction, for example. It sounds invasive, but it's legal.

A judgment could also give a creditor a lien to your property. That means they own it. Say you've been working on selling your house. Either you won't be able to sell it until you pay, or whatever you make from selling the house will first go toward the debt.

Another common way of collecting a debt is garnishing. The court can order your employer to take money out of your wages. They can also pull money directly from your account. The amount will vary depending on what state you live in, and there's a cap so you have enough left to survive. In most cases, VA benefits and Social Security are off-limits.

Protect yourself from wage garnishment with SoloSuit.

You Could Serve Jail Time Over Your Debt

Looking from a new angle at what happens if a defendant does not pay a judgment, here's an especially tricky way they'll get money out of you: putting you into jail.

If the creditor can't legally access your money or possessions, they might instigate a debtor's examination, where they can ask you a bunch of questions. If you don't show up, the court can “find you in civil contempt.” The court interprets your absence as disobeying orders, and you have to pay up or go to jail.

If you choose prison, you'll stay until you pay the bond — which will probably be the amount you owe. Sneaky.

So, don't forget to show up to a debtor's examination! Even if the creditor has done this numerous times — even if you know they can't win — they're just hoping you forget to show up one day.

Your Debt Might Increase with Interest and Fees

Regardless of your situation, whether you're willing to pay or are holding creditors at bay, remember that a judgment will accrue interest for as long as it's active.

Five to seven years is pretty typical, but depending on your situation and location, your judgment may be active for 20 or more years. That's a monstrous amount of interest — not to mention a heavy mental load.

Respond to debt collectors in 15 minutes with SoloSuit.

Your Judgment Will Show Up On Your Public Record

Don't forget that judgments go on your public record. Along with bankruptcy and tax lien, they're one of the types of court actions that have to appear on your credit report. It'll affect your credit score, and people won't be so keen to lend you money.

Judgments can also show up on background checks. If you apply for a job that will pay more than $75,000 a year, your potential employer will have to know.

In some cases, you need only wait for the judgment to expire for it to come off your credit report. But remember that a creditor can revive a judgment if the judgment hasn't been satisfied.

So, you're wondering what happens if a defendant does not pay a judgment. In a way, time is your friend — but only if your creditor is forgetful.

File a response with SoloSuit and keep employers from finding out about your debt.

Know What Happens to Your Judgment When You Pay

The judgment should come off your credit report. And paying the debt is a huge step in rebuilding your credit score.

When you pay, make sure you get the creditor to file a Satisfaction of Judgment with the court clerk. While there, they'll also need to remove any indication that they have a lien on your property.

This is a hugely important step in cleaning up your public record and being free of your debt, both financially and mentally.

If you forget this step and can't get in touch with the creditor later when you need them, you'll have to show a lot of proof to the court clerk that the judgment was paid. It's possible, but it'll be a hassle — so just remember to get the thing filed.

What if the creditor won't do it?

Send them a letter. If they still refuse to file a Satisfaction of Judgment, or they don't respond within the required number of days (usually under or around a month), the court may require them to pay you something.

Say you needed that form for an application, and the creditor's delay made you miss the deadline. A lot of states will require the creditor to cover any damages you suffered because of that neglect.

Compare what happens if a defendant does not pay a judgment to when you do: Once you satisfy the judgment, you have the court on your side.

What is SoloSuit?

SoloSuit makes it easy to respond to a debt collection lawsuit.

How it works: SoloSuit is a step-by-step web-app that asks you all the necessary questions to complete your answer. Upon completion, you can either print the completed forms and mail in the hard copies to the courts or you can pay SoloSuit to file it for you and to have an attorney review the document.

Respond with SoloSuit

"First time getting sued by a debt collector and I was searching all over YouTube and ran across SoloSuit, so I decided to buy their services with their attorney reviewed documentation which cost extra but it was well worth it! SoloSuit sent the documentation to the parties and to the court which saved me time from having to go to court and in a few weeks the case got dismissed!" – James

Get Started

>>Read the FastCompany article: Debt Lawsuits Are Complicated: This Website Makes Them Simpler To Navigate

>>Read the NPR story on SoloSuit: A Student Solution To Give Utah Debtors A Fighting Chance

How to Answer a Summons for debt collection in all 50 states

Here's a list of guides on how to respond to a debt collection lawsuit in each state:

The Ultimate 50 State Guide

Guides on how to resolve debt with every debt collector

Are you being sued by a debt collector? We’re making guides on how to resolve debt with each one.

Resolve your debt with your creditor

Some creditors, banks, and lenders have an internal collections department. If they come after you for a debt, Solosuit can still help you respond and resolve the debt. Here’s a list of guides on how to resolve debt with different creditors.

Settle your medical debt

Having a health challenge is stressful, but dealing medical debt on top of it is overwhelming. Here are some resources on how to manage medical debt.

Guides on arbitration

If the thought of going to court stresses you out, you’re not alone. Many Americans who are sued for credit card debt utilize a Motion to Compel Arbitration to push their case out of court and into arbitration.

Below are some resources on how to use an arbitration clause to your advantage and win a debt lawsuit.

Stop calls from debt collectors

Do you keep getting calls from an unknown number, only to realize that it’s a debt collector on the other line? If you’ve been called by any of the following numbers, chances are you have collectors coming after you, and we’ll tell you how to stop them.

Federal debt collection laws can protect you

Knowing your rights makes it easier to stand up for your rights. Below, we’ve compiled all our articles on federal debt collection laws that protect you from unfair practices.

Get debt relief in your state

We’ve created a specialized guide on how to find debt relief in all 50 states, complete with steps to take to find relief, state-specific resources, and more.

Debt collection laws in all 50 states

Debt collection laws vary by state, so we have compiled a guide to each state’s debt collection laws to make it easier for you to stand up for your rights—no matter where you live.

Statute of limitations on debt state guides

Like all debt collection laws, the statute of limitations on debt varies by state. So, we wrote a guide on each state’s statutes. Check it out below.

Statute of Limitations on Debt Collection by State (Best Guide)

Check the status of your court case

Don’t have time to go to your local courthouse to check the status of your case? We’ve created a guide on how to check the status of your case in every state, complete with online search tools and court directories.

How to stop wage garnishment in your state

Forgot to respond to your debt lawsuit? The judge may have ordered a default judgment against you, and with a default judgment, debt collectors can garnish your wages. Here are our guides on how to stop wage garnishment in all 50 states.

Other wage garnishment resources

How to settle a debt in your state

Debt settlement is one of the most effective ways to resolve a debt and save money. We’ve created a guide on how to settle your debt in all 50 states. Find out how to settle in your state with a simple click and explore other debt settlement resources below.

How to settle with every debt collector

Not sure how to negotiate a debt settlement with a debt collector? We are creating guides to help you know how to start the settlement conversation and increase your chances of coming to an agreement with every debt collector.

Other debt settlement resources

Personal loan and debt relief reviews

We give a factual review of the following debt consolidation, debt settlement, and loan organizations and companies to help you make an informed decision before you take on a debt.

How to repair and improve your credit score

Debt has a big impact on your credit. Below is a list of guides on how to repair and improve your credit, even while managing major debt.

How to resolve student loan debt

Struggling with student debt? SoloSuit’s got you covered. Below are resources on handling student loan debt.

Civil law legal definitions

You can represent yourself in court. Save yourself the time and cost of finding an attorney, and use the following resources to understand legal definitions better and how they may apply to your case.

Get answers to these FAQs on debt collection

How-to debt guides

Learn more with these additional debt resources


It only takes 15 minutes.

And 50% of our customers' cases have been dismissed in the past.


"Finding yourself on the wrong side of the law unexpectedly is kinda scary. I started researching on YouTube and found SoloSuit's channel. The videos were so helpful, easy to understand and encouraging. When I reached out to SoloSuit they were on it. Very professional, impeccably prompt. Thanks for the service!" - Heather



Get Started

Contents