Q: 20 years ago I borrowed a friends car rear ended another car.
I was searching for liens against me on the Courts record and State Farm had a lien placed on me 20 years ago. Does this drop off after a certain period of time?. I’ve never been taken to court on it and it doesn’t show on my credit reports
A: Generally, in most states a judgment needs to be renewed every 6 years or so. First, you need to look at the law for that state. Then you can either ignore the lien, or file a case to have the lien "extinguished." I'd start by talking to the administrator of wherever the lien was filed. If it's with a court, talk to court administration. If it's with the DOT, talk to Driver licensing or vehicle registration. But yes, 20 years ago also means there is a legal doctrine called "laches" you can use, but legal cases can be expensive so use the phone and the mail.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
