Judgment Becomes Final Friday

Above, Scott in Hawaii. Photo by Armand Vaquer

The Small Claims Court judgment against Jacquese Scott becomes final Friday (September 30). That means I can begin collecting the judgment amount of $878.25.

According to the Court:

You are the judgment creditor (plaintiff or defendant) if you won the claim. The judgment becomes final 30 days after you receive the Notice of Entry of Judgment in court (SC-130) or the date it is mailed. If the defendant has not filed a Notice of Appeal (SC-140) or a Notice of Motion to Vacate Judgment and Declaration (SC-135) you may collect the judgment.

As Denise Santos (her "star witness") (and her "flying monkeys") and Scott do peruse this blog, notice is hereby given that the only acceptable methods of payment are by cash, a certified bank check or by a postal money order. No personal checks will be accepted.

The Court also says:

You should pay the judgment against you as soon as it becomes final. If you do not pay, the creditor can start collecting the judgment right away as long as: 

1. The judgment has been entered. You can go to the court clerk’s office and check the court’s records to confirm that the judgment has been entered; and 
2. There is no stay (suspension or postponement) on enforcement of the order because of an appeal, a stay from a bankruptcy, or other legal action.

Keep in mind that if you do not pay the judgment: 

• The amount you owe will increase daily, since the judgment accumulates interest at the rate of 10 percent per year.
• The creditor can get an order telling you to reimburse him or her for any reasonable and necessary costs of collection.
• Your credit may be damaged because credit reporting agencies will know you have not paid the judgment when your name appears on the court's "Judgment Roll." This can make it difficult for you to get a loan, get a credit card, or even rent an apartment.

Since both Scott and her "star witness" chose to lie like rugs in court, I am not inclined to be lenient on this matter. Period. End of story.

The Small Claims Court action was for the front money for Scott's portion of the May Hawaii trip, of which she paid $600 of the total amount of $1,408.25. The additional $70.00 is for court costs.