How to Dispute a Judgment on Your Credit Report

A credit report contains information about how you pay your bills and bankruptcy filings. It also contains information about judgments. A judgment appears on a credit report when an individual has lost a court case. In special cases, such as identity theft, the credit bureaus will remove these judgments from credit reporting files.

Instructions

1

Order a copy of your credit report. If an inaccurate judgment is appearing on a credit file, there also may be other reporting errors. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), consumers are entitled to a free credit report every 12 months. In addition to the inaccurate judgment, look for inaccurate late payments and accounts that don't belong to you.

2

File a police report. If the judgments on the report are the result of identity theft, you must file a police report. A police report establishes a claim of identity theft and can help remove inaccurate judgments on credit reports, according to the FTC.

3

Write a letter to the three main credit reporting agencies---Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. The letter should include why the judgment is inaccurate and documentation supporting the claim, such as the police report. Also attach a copy of your credit report, circling the disputed items in red pen. This will make it easier for the credit bureau to find the items under dispute.

4

Send the letter by certified mail. The FTC recommends sending your dispute letters through certified mail. This can be accomplished by visiting your local post office. A certified letter will create a paper trail documenting your dispute.

5

Follow up with the credit bureau after 30 business days. According to the FTC, these organizations usually respond to disputes within this time frame.