judgement ...

Not a stupid question. It depends on the lender. Some will actually send someone to the courthouse to check for judgments. Also, more and more lenders are using some of these small CRA's that are a repository for "baddies" as George calls them. For example, www.dolaninformation.com.

 

A BF or Judgment could show up at any time, even 15 to 20 years after you defaulted on a debt. To exert pressure, they often poison your credit file, or hold your credit file hostage.
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One little thing would make a big difference.
Require consulting the customer before an entry can be placed in ones file.

 

Now a days,anyone can look up a judgment on the internet, even if it has disapeared from your credit report if it is still in force it is public record and is easily found.

Of course, if the time period for judgments in your State has passed, then it will have bee archived and no longer in the public records.

 

from what i have read, the judgement will have to be paid and you will need to show proof of this to a potential lender. as whychat says, the lender will probably see the public record, so you will have to prove that it has been *satisfied*.