How to Report a Judgement

Ready to report a judgement to the three major credit bureaus? Here’s what you need to know.

Let’s begin with a definition. A judgement is a final decision made by a court of law in a lawsuit or criminal proceeding. Details related to a judgement are filed by a court clerk as part of public records.

Three steps to reporting

Ready to report a judgment to the three major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion)? Here are three steps to take:

1. First, gather information on the judgement. These are matters of public record, so copies are available in the offices of the county clerk in which the judgement has been recorded. Some counties have this information readily available as part of their website. For others, however, you might have to retrieve the information yourself and pay for any copies you make. To make finding the judgement easier, counties will assign it a control file number (CFN) along with an official records book and page number for identification purposes.
2. Next, contact all three of the major credit bureaus and provide them details — in writing — related to the judgement on a consumer and/or business. 
3. Finally, you’ll want to confirm that the judgement was included in the credit report. You can request that the credit bureaus send you written confirmation. It can take a month or longer for bureaus to record the information. Further, the consumer or business you reported has an opportunity to dispute the information. Hang on to your copies so that you, and the credit bureaus, have proof of accuracy.

Changes to credit reports

It’s worth noting that, in 2017, civil judgements and tax lien information were no longer required as part of a credit report. The only publicly-recorded information that national credit reporting companies routinely collect today is bankruptcy. This step provides some protection from credit score damage as a result of unpaid taxes or medical debts.

This is one of the key pieces of the three major credit bureaus’ joint National Consumer Assistance Plan. The plan stems from a 2015 settlement between the three major credit bureaus and 31 state attorneys general. Its purpose was to improve credit reporting accuracy and provide consumers with more transparency.

Not so fast…

There is a flip side to this, of course. Some consumers might see some increase in their overall credit score. Others, however, including credit card issuers, lenders, and renters, might not get the most accurate picture of consumers.

Because of these changes, you might need help with reporting your judgement. Datalinx can help by reporting to the bureaus directly on your behalf if the judgement is related to a rental eviction or a skip. Reach out to us for details on reporting your judgement.