Tell court when you're paid

When you are fully paid, you must fill out and file an Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment form. This is like a receipt for payment. The person who owed you money can use it to remove everything from their record that shows they owe you money.

You are required to file the Acknowledgment as soon as you're paid in full. 

If you do not, the other side can send you a written demand to do it. You then have 15 days from their demand to file it. If you do not, you could be fined and the other side could sue you.
 

How to let court know you're paid

  • Fill out form

    Fill out an Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment (form EJ-100). This lets the court know that you were fully paid. Do not sign form EJ-100, yet. You need to sign it in front of a notary (have it notarized)

     

  • Sign in front of notary public

    illustration\ of interaction with notary

    You need to have your signature on form EJ-100 notarized. This means you sign in front of a notary.

    The person whose signature must be checked brings the unsigned document to a notary public. A notary is an official who checks the identification of a person signing a document. Many shipping or mailing stores have them. You can also find one online. 

    The notary checks your identification, watches you sign the document, and then puts their seat on the document. The fee is usually $15 but may be different.

  • Make copies

    Make 2 copies of the form.

  • File forms

    File the signed and notorized original and copies of the form with the court clerk. The clerk will stamp them and give you back the copies. One is for you. A second is for you to send the other side.  

  • Serve a copy to the other side

    Have someone 18 or older, not you or someone else involved in your case, mail or hand-deliver the Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment (form EJ-100) to whoever owed you money.

    The server must fill out a proof of service form, either a Proof of Personal Service (form POS-020) or a Proof of Service by First Class Mail (form POS-030). 
    File the Proof of Service with the court.

  • Remove liens (if any)

    If you put liens on the other side's property, the other side can remove them by filing a certified copy of the Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment (form EJ-100) with each county recorder's office where you put the lien on their property.

You are done. Your case is finished.

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