Start My Answer
loading...

How Do I Get Rid of a Judgment Lien on My Property?

George Simons | December 02, 2022

George Simons
Co-Founder of SoloSuit
George Simons, JD/MBA

George Simons is the co-founder and CEO of SoloSuit. He has helped Americans protect over $1 billion from predatory debt lawsuits. George graduated from BYU Law school in 2020 with a JD-MBA. In his spare time, George likes to cook, because he likes to eat.

Edited by Hannah Locklear

Hannah Locklear
Editor at SoloSuit
Hannah Locklear, BA

Hannah Locklear is SoloSuit’s Marketing and Impact Manager. With an educational background in Linguistics, Spanish, and International Development from Brigham Young University, Hannah has also worked as a legal support specialist for several years.

Summary: Do you have a judgment lien on your property for an old, unpaid debt? Find out how to get rid of a judgment lien on your property with this complete guide.

If you are being sued for a debt, you have to at least file an answer in time. If you didn't, you will get a default judgment against you, and that means that the judge will decide in favor of the debt collector suing you. If you don't make any payments after the default judgment, the debt collector may ask the judge to put a lien on your property.

These are two main reasons a judgment lien is bad for you:

  1. It impacts your credit score and report.
  2. It does not allow you to sell, refinance, or transfer your property.

You don't want that. So now that you understand that, let's see a few things you can do to get rid of that lien hovering over your property. Let's begin with what sounds more likely to be done.

Protect your property from debt collectors by responding with SoloSuit.

File a motion to set aside a judgment and an answer along with it

A motion to set aside judgment is a paper you file in court to explain to the judge and to the debt collectors that you didn't file an answer for a reason. The reason you give should be something like a mistake, a surprise, excusable neglect, and/or inadvertence. Whatever the reason you have for not timely filing the answer in court, the judge will see if your reason matches with one of these justifications.

If the judge accepts your motion, you will have an opportunity to speak up in the case you previously received a default judgment and you will cross out the risk of having a lien on your property.

Now, if you have filed an answer in time and lost the case because the debt collectors proved you owe the debt, there are still other ways to get rid of the lien on your property.

The collectors did something wrong to get a judgment lien

If you believe that happened in your case, you may need to file a legal paper, like a motion, to show the judge that the collectors got the lien on my property by unlawful means. These unlawful means are things like: fraud, lying, forcing you to do something, or any other means that don't look right or seem suspicious.

In this motion, you would have to show the judge what happened and the reason you think they have got the lien on your property by illegal means. If you can show that they did something wrong, it should be enough to get the judgment lien out of your property.

Don't let debt collectors beat you with shady tactics. Win in court with SoloSuit.

Paying off the debt is another way

I know. It sounds obvious and I understand paying off the debt is not that easy way. When you have a judgment against you, it already gives the lawyers the right to find ways to do what they call “satisfy the debt”.

If you have money available and paying off the debt will not affect your immediate needs, you can consider this option. This involves planning and preparation, many times fines, fees, and lots of interest were added to the debt, and that makes it very hard to pay off.

Negotiating with the collectors may be a good option

Let's say you owe the debt, nothing is wrong with their charges, and you cannot pay them off. You always have the option to negotiate. Many people tried to reach out to their creditors and it didn't work because the debt was sold to a debt collection agency, and another, and so on, and that makes it impossible to negotiate.

How do I negotiate with them then? When you file papers in court (an answer or a motion) you will have to send the same papers to the debt collector's lawyers, they will know you are doing something to fix the issue.

After that, in court, you will have an opportunity to tell the lawyers and the judge that you are willing to fix it, and the judge may suggest another way for you and the collectors to settle and get rid of the judgment lien on your property.

By negotiating you will not need to pay off the debt right away, you may be able to pay in installments and cross out that judgment lien right after the agreement or after you pay a part of it. When you do an agreement, make sure that the right people have signed the papers and that the papers are filed in court in the same court case in which the judgment lien began.

Avoid bankruptcy by filing a response to debt collectors in 15 minutes with SoloSuit.

If nothing works, filing for bankruptcy may help

This option usually is not recommended as your first try to get rid of the judgment lien. Filing for bankruptcy affects all aspects of your financial situation and impacts your credit score and report. You should find a way to resolve a judgment lien, but you should be cautious about how you will resolve things.

What is SoloSuit?

SoloSuit makes it easy to respond to a debt collection lawsuit.

How it works: SoloSuit is a step-by-step web-app that asks you all the necessary questions to complete your answer. Upon completion, you can either print the completed forms and mail in the hard copies to the courts or you can pay SoloSuit to file it for you and to have an attorney review the document.

Respond with SoloSuit

"First time getting sued by a debt collector and I was searching all over YouTube and ran across SoloSuit, so I decided to buy their services with their attorney reviewed documentation which cost extra but it was well worth it! SoloSuit sent the documentation to the parties and to the court which saved me time from having to go to court and in a few weeks the case got dismissed!" – James

Get Started

>>Read the FastCompany article: Debt Lawsuits Are Complicated: This Website Makes Them Simpler To Navigate

>>Read the NPR story on SoloSuit: A Student Solution To Give Utah Debtors A Fighting Chance

How to Answer a Summons for debt collection in all 50 states

Here's a list of guides on how to respond to a debt collection lawsuit in each state:

The Ultimate 50 State Guide

Guides on how to resolve debt with every debt collector

Are you being sued by a debt collector? We’re making guides on how to resolve debt with each one.

Resolve your debt with your creditor

Some creditors, banks, and lenders have an internal collections department. If they come after you for a debt, Solosuit can still help you respond and resolve the debt. Here’s a list of guides on how to resolve debt with different creditors.

Settle your medical debt

Having a health challenge is stressful, but dealing medical debt on top of it is overwhelming. Here are some resources on how to manage medical debt.

Guides on arbitration

If the thought of going to court stresses you out, you’re not alone. Many Americans who are sued for credit card debt utilize a Motion to Compel Arbitration to push their case out of court and into arbitration.

Below are some resources on how to use an arbitration clause to your advantage and win a debt lawsuit.

Stop calls from debt collectors

Do you keep getting calls from an unknown number, only to realize that it’s a debt collector on the other line? If you’ve been called by any of the following numbers, chances are you have collectors coming after you, and we’ll tell you how to stop them.

Federal debt collection laws can protect you

Knowing your rights makes it easier to stand up for your rights. Below, we’ve compiled all our articles on federal debt collection laws that protect you from unfair practices.

Get debt relief in your state

We’ve created a specialized guide on how to find debt relief in all 50 states, complete with steps to take to find relief, state-specific resources, and more.

Debt collection laws in all 50 states

Debt collection laws vary by state, so we have compiled a guide to each state’s debt collection laws to make it easier for you to stand up for your rights—no matter where you live.

Statute of limitations on debt state guides

Like all debt collection laws, the statute of limitations on debt varies by state. So, we wrote a guide on each state’s statutes. Check it out below.

Statute of Limitations on Debt Collection by State (Best Guide)

Check the status of your court case

Don’t have time to go to your local courthouse to check the status of your case? We’ve created a guide on how to check the status of your case in every state, complete with online search tools and court directories.

How to stop wage garnishment in your state

Forgot to respond to your debt lawsuit? The judge may have ordered a default judgment against you, and with a default judgment, debt collectors can garnish your wages. Here are our guides on how to stop wage garnishment in all 50 states.

Other wage garnishment resources

How to settle a debt in your state

Debt settlement is one of the most effective ways to resolve a debt and save money. We’ve created a guide on how to settle your debt in all 50 states. Find out how to settle in your state with a simple click and explore other debt settlement resources below.

How to settle with every debt collector

Not sure how to negotiate a debt settlement with a debt collector? We are creating guides to help you know how to start the settlement conversation and increase your chances of coming to an agreement with every debt collector.

Other debt settlement resources

Personal loan and debt relief reviews

We give a factual review of the following debt consolidation, debt settlement, and loan organizations and companies to help you make an informed decision before you take on a debt.

How to repair and improve your credit score

Debt has a big impact on your credit. Below is a list of guides on how to repair and improve your credit, even while managing major debt.

How to resolve student loan debt

Struggling with student debt? SoloSuit’s got you covered. Below are resources on handling student loan debt.

Civil law legal definitions

You can represent yourself in court. Save yourself the time and cost of finding an attorney, and use the following resources to understand legal definitions better and how they may apply to your case.

Get answers to these FAQs on debt collection

How-to debt guides

Learn more with these additional debt resources

It only takes 15 minutes.

And 50% of our customers' cases have been dismissed in the past.


"Finding yourself on the wrong side of the law unexpectedly is kinda scary. I started researching on YouTube and found SoloSuit's channel. The videos were so helpful, easy to understand and encouraging. When I reached out to SoloSuit they were on it. Very professional, impeccably prompt. Thanks for the service!" - Heather



Get Started


Contents