How to Remove Judgements From Credit

Creditors or debt collectors can win civil judgments against you for not paying your bills. The judgments are obtained in small claims court after the creditor or debt collector successfully argues that you owe the debt and have not paid it. The judgment will be listed on your credit report, causing your credit score to drop. The only way to remove the information is to dispute its accuracy or argue that it has become outdated and by law should be deleted.

Instructions

1

Obtain a free copy of your credit report from the site Annual Credit Report (see Resources). The three nationwide credit bureaus created the site to offer free reports as mandated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act. You can print the report directly from the website or follow instructions on the site for ordering by telephone or mail.

2

Check the report to determine when the judgment was initially listed. By federal law, judgments can be listed on your report for seven years, but must be removed after that. Write a letter to the credit bureau if the judgment has been on your report for more than seven years. Direct the credit bureau to remove the information because it is outdated. Send the letter to the credit bureau at its address on the credit report. Wait 30 days for the credit bureau to respond. Removal is guaranteed if the information is indeed outdated.

3

Challenge the accuracy of the information if it is being reportedly incorrectly. Credit bureaus occasionally make mistakes, and it's possible the judgment listed on your report isn't yours. Or maybe you settled with the creditor before the case went to court. Write a letter to the bureau to challenge the information. The credit bureau will investigate and by law must prove that the information is correct, or else remove it.