Q: I need to satisfy a judgment, and the creditor is slowly responding to my request. How can I speed up this process?
I am a judgment debtor in Anaheim, CA. I am trying to satisfy a judgment for a unlawful detainer from a few years ago. The judgment creditor no longer has the same attorney that handled the case. The judgment creditor is in the process of trying to contact their current attorney, and as I am the judgment debtor, I am playing the waiting game. I was wondering if I could speed up the process by filling the satisfaction of judgment myself after paying the judgment creditor. And once this is filed, I can have the judgment removed from my record and credit report.
A: If you are representing yourself, then you can contact their attorney directly; there is no need to go through the judgment-creditor if you are representing yourself. If you pay the judgment in full, the judgment-creditor must file the acknowledgement of satisfaction of judgment with the court immediately. If they do not, then you can make a formal, written demand that they do so. The judgment-creditor then will have 15 days to file it, and if they do not, then you have cause of action against them for any damages their delay causes you. See Code of Civil Procedure sections 724.030 and 724.050. Damages can include failure to obtain a loan or employment as a result of an inaccurate credit report; any fees related to the suit to acknowledge payment; and statutory award of $100.00
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