- Many states allow creditors to enforce their judgments involuntarily. According to Santa Clara University Law School, involuntary enforcement includes wage garnishment, bank levies and property liens. Some states, such as Pennsylvania, have stricter laws regarding judgment enforcement and do not permit all creditors to pursue involuntary collection methods after acquiring a court judgment.
- A judgment hurts a debtor's credit rating and will appear on her credit report regardless of her state of residence. The Fair Credit Reporting Act states that the credit bureaus must remove the judgment from the individual's credit file after seven years. If the statute of limitations for judgment enforcement in the consumer's state is longer than seven years, the notation may remain until the statute of limitations expires.
- All individuals have the right to fight a judgment that was levied incorrectly or without their knowledge. Should a debtor win his case, the court will vacate the judgment. The credit bureaus will then remove the judgment from the individual's credit record, and the creditor cannot use the judgment as a debt recovery tool.