Remove a Judgment from a Credit Report
Remove a judgment that may be incorrect by following simple procedures. Judgments on a credit report might affect your credit score resulting in a low credit rating. The Fair Debt Collections Practices Act gives individuals the right to have incorrect items removed from their credit report. If a judgment or other negative item on your credit report is correct, negotiation of the debt with the creditor is sometimes an option. Follow the below guide to receive a copy of your credit report and to correct inaccuracies; credit bureaus typically revise your credit report between 30 and 45 days.
Step 1:
Access your credit report through Equifax. Through this site, you
can receive a copy of your credit report from Transunion, Experian and Equifax.
Examine your credit report for any judgments; list the judgments on a separate piece
of paper, the associated account numbers and any court that may be listed. ""Get Equifax 3 Bureau Credit Report and Scores Now!""
Step 2:
Go to the website of the reporting credit bureau of the judgments by going to transunion.com, equifax.com or experian.com. Individuals can file a dispute online through each of these sites. Typically, there is a form to enter your personal information. Your credit report number might be needed as well; this is generally located on the top of the credit report. Either choose the judgment that that you want to dispute or enter the information in the spot provided. Next, you’ll explain why you are disputing the judgment. The credit bureau will provide common answers to why you are disputing the judgment or debt; provide an answer to each dispute.
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Step 3:
Await a response from the credit bureaus. The credit bureaus
examine any disputes by contacting the reporting court to verify the judgment.
The court has to verify the judgment within the allowed 30 day timeframe. If
the 30 days pass without the judgment being verified, the judgment usually is
removed or updated. The credit bureaus often offer you the opportunity to check
the status of any disputes online at their websites.
Step 4:
Contact the original creditor if the judgment was verified and
not removed from your credit report. Offer to pay the judgment at a lessor amount.
If the creditor agrees, ask them to dismiss the judgment once it is paid. Ask
the creditor to agree to this in writing and to file the proper court forms once
the judgment is paid.
Step 5:
Consider filing a motion to vacate the judgment if the
judgment is not valid. It could be invalid due to common errors, such as if you
were improperly served, or the judgment was erroneous or you were SSI exempt or
had another type of exemption. A Motion to Vacate can be filed at the appropriate
courthouse; this is a request made to the court to remove the judgment. The
clerk of the court can inform you of the eligibility requirements to file the
motion. Attorneys and paralegals can prepare a Motion to Vacate if needed. When
filing the motion at the courthouse the clerk sets a date and time that you
must appear. When the judge approves and signs the Motion to Vacate, the
judgment can be removed your credit report. The revised debt information is
then sent to the credit bureaus between 30 and 45 days.
There are also professional credit repair companies that offer free consultations. Get a FREE credit repair consultation.
By
Kimberly Hodgkins, Senior Editor and Writer
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