Q: Does transferring a civil judgment from one county to another in PA restart the statute?
judgment was granted in 2001 in Westmoreland county, transferred to Allegheny in 2012. Can we execute on it, or has it passed the SOL?
A:
A judgment rendered by a PA court goes "dormant" after five years of inactivity, but may be kept "alive" is the creditor executes on the judgment, or issues discovery in aid, within that five year period.
A judgment rendered by a PA District Court (small claims, under $15K) reaches to the borders of the county where it is rendered, but it can be registered as a judgment of the Court of Common Pleas (within five years of its rendition), and if so registered, will be effective, e.g. operate as a lien, throughout the Commonwealth of PA.
You don't say enough (facts) in your question to answer it reliably. Speak to a PA lawyer about the validity of your judgment and its "life". In my opinion, the mere transfer of the judgment a decade after its entry has no effect on the Statute of Limitations.
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