I'm new to creditnet and also new to credit report repair. My credit score is very low due to numerous late payments back in 2009-2010, however I have been determined to repair the credit report this year. Having searched through the forums, I haven't found much information about judgments. In 2004 I was in an uninsured accident, and I didn't go to court, so the prosecution automatically won their settlement in the amount of $23,000. When I received letters from the law firm handling the case, I immediately set up payment arrangements with them and have been paying as agreed ever since. The amount that I pay is low, on the full debt, but I still pay it every month faithfully. I have also been in good communication with the law firm ever since. I usually go into their office to make the payments, and I have a good rapport with the attorney who handles my case. So it's listed on my credit report with the date filed in 08/2006. Experian lists it as Klamath County Circuit Court with date filed in 08/2006 with a fall off of 08/2013, no docket number or account number. Transunion lists it as Washington County Circuit Court with date filed of 08/2006 and a fall off date of 07/2013, and a docket number is listed. Equifax lists it with no Courthouse name but a different case number than the one above, and the address of Washington County Circuit Court. It's listed as filed in 08/2006 with no date listed as to when it should fall off the credit report. Here are my questions. I know that the law firm could definitely renew the report because it's coming up until the debt is completely satisfied. 1. Should I contact the law firm and ask them not to renew the report with the three credit reporting agencies? Or just hope that they will not renew the report? I'm afraid that if I mention it to them, they will renew it, but if I do not, they may let it slip through the cracks. They are not a collection agency or a low-level law firm, and I feel that listing things with the CRAs is probably not the top of their priorities. 2. Should I dispute the item with the CRA's since the information regarding docket number, case number, and court that it was filed in differ on all three credit reports? Again I'm afraid that if I bring it up, it will not fall off this summer. 3. It is listed on all three CRA's as an unsatisfied judgement, should I dispute it based on the fact that I am paying as agreed and have a payment plan, or is that still considered an "Unsatisfied Judgement." 4. In considering your responses, please know that this is a completely valid debt, and this law firm has been good to me considering how much money I owe them and for how long I've been paying them. They have never charged me interest, and they have always accepted my $50 a month payments without argument or grief. Thank you so much for all of your help, and let me know if you need any other information to assist me with this issue. Thanks, dwmchef
The law-firm doesn't list the judgments, the CRAs get that data allegedly from the courts through a third-party firm which allegedly 'verifies' the data on the court record. Second, the fall-off date doesn't affect collection on the judgement, there is a date that they would need to go back to court to be 'renewed'. You can search judgement renewal (state), to find information specific to your state. Hint: the law-firm cares a lot more on the ability to enforce the judgement, then to have it on your credit file. Again, because there is a third-party company that is allegedly verifying the information from the courts, it's not a dispute with the law-office. http://consumers.creditnet.com/Discussions/credit-talk/t-experian-judgement-dispute-70280.html A judgement is either satisfied, or unsatisfied, there isn't an option for "pending satisfaction" or "paying as agreed", if the court had to be notified of every payment received on every judgement, you could see the size of the workload the courts have increasing. On the last issue, you may want to check the original judgement, interest may have been included into the amount of the judgement, yes some attorneys will be adding interest past that date, but interest may have been charged originally.
