How to Take a Judgment Off Your Credit File

You never want an incorrect, incomplete or expired judgment to remain on your credit file. Such reports are negative and can adversely affect your credit file and credit score. The Fair Credit Reporting Act protects consumers from incorrect reports and allows you to dispute old and incorrect judgments. In most cases, you can have eligible judgments removed from your credit file in as soon as 30 days from the date you first report the judgment to the credit bureaus.

Instructions

1

Order your free annual credit report. Annual Credit Report's website permits all consumers to order, view and print their credit reports for free. Obtain additional copies of your credit reports through the nationwide consumer credit reporting bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. You must order all three credit reports because the same credit information may not be reported on each credit report or at the same time.

2

Find incorrect or incomplete judgments in the public record section of your credit reports. According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you can dispute judgments that are past your state's statute of limitations, incomplete or incorrect.

3

Issue a dispute letter requesting the removal of expired, incorrect or incomplete judgments. Cite the reason(s) for your request. For example, cite your state's statute of limitations law and highlight the report date of the judgment directly on your credit reports. The credit bureau has 30 days to investigate your claims.

4

Provide court documents, payment records and bank statements with your dispute letter. While in most cases you can submit a dispute letter electronically, you must mail or fax supporting documents related to your dispute directly to the bureaus.

5

Retain a copy of the credit bureau's determination regarding the validity of your judgment. Look for the bureaus' expected course of action, which can include removing or updating the judgment. If the bureau finds that a judgment is valid, contact the judgment creditor directly to arrange a settlement. Negotiate a lump sum payment and ask the judgment creditor to remove the judgment from your credit file upon receipt of payment.