Falmouth, ME asked in Collections for Maine

Q: Which state determines a foreign judgment's expiry?

I had a default judgment against me in another state, where judgments expire after 10 years. The judgment expired and I believe its renewal would have required me to be notified, which I was not, so I believe it wasn't renewed. But  when it was first obtained, it was registered in my home state where judgments last 20 years, and this period hasn't elapsed. Is judgment still valid even though it's expired without renewal (so far as I know) in its state of origin?

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1 Lawyer Answer
Fred Bopp III
Fred Bopp III
Answered
  • Collections Lawyer
  • Yarmouth, ME
  • Licensed in Maine

A: The general rule is that judgments registered in a new state are treated the same as judgments issued originally in the new state for purposes of enforcement, so it is likely that the 20-year expiration period of the new state applies to the registered judgment (at least as to enforcement efforts in the new state).

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