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Legal Definitions - enter a judgment
Definition of enter a judgment
To enter a judgment means the formal, official act by which a court's final decision in a case is recorded in the court's official records. This administrative step transforms a judge's ruling or jury's verdict into a legally binding document. Once a judgment is entered, it becomes effective, triggering important deadlines for actions like filing an appeal or beginning efforts to enforce the judgment.
Here are some examples illustrating when a court might enter a judgment:
Business Dispute Resolution: After a lengthy trial, a judge rules that a software company owes a client $500,000 for breach of contract. The judge's decision is announced in court. For this decision to become official and for the client to be able to collect the money or for either party to file an appeal, the court clerk must formally record this ruling in the court's docket. This act of recording is entering the judgment, making the $500,000 award legally enforceable.
Personal Injury Lawsuit: A jury in a car accident case finds the defendant negligent and awards the injured plaintiff $150,000 in damages. The jury delivers its verdict, but it's not immediately a final, enforceable order. The court clerk will then take the jury's verdict and the judge's subsequent order based on that verdict and officially record it in the court's system. This formal recording process is how the court enters the judgment, establishing the defendant's legal obligation to pay and allowing the plaintiff to pursue collection if necessary.
Foreclosure Proceeding: A bank successfully sues a homeowner for defaulting on their mortgage, and the judge grants an order allowing the bank to foreclose on the property. Before the bank can proceed with selling the home at auction, the court must officially record this judicial order in its records. This act of the court clerk formally documenting the judge's foreclosure order is entering the judgment, which then permits the bank to take the next legal steps in the foreclosure process.
Simple Definition
To enter a judgment means to officially record a court's final decision and any accompanying opinion into the court's records. This procedural step, often performed by a court clerk, is crucial as it typically marks the official date of the judgment. Entry of judgment is often required before the decision can be appealed, and parties are usually notified afterward.