Expert: Chris Ebert - 9/11/2009

Question
I had a judgement placed in my and my husbands name. When we left a house we had rented, the landlord refused to do a walk through and a few weeks later I found out that he had filed a case for a judgement against me and my husband. After I moved I attempted to contact him to request my deposit be refunded, I contacted him by mail and phone. When the letters I sent him by certified mail were returned to me I filed a small claims case against for the amount of my deposit. He avoided the service of these forms, I had even sent the Sheriff in his county to serve him these papers and he refused to open his door. The previous land lord is stating that I made $1500 in damages to the home which is not true, no receipts have been provided to the courts but because he stated he did not know my where abouts and he served me at my last known address, which was his home we rented, he won and the judgement was placed. What can I do now that it has been 4 years?

Answer
Karla,

Since 4 years have passed and it is such a small amount of money (in legal terms) it would most likely be cheaper to settle the judgment. You will need to contact him and get him to sign a release of judgment when you hand the money over to him. Then you need to file the release of judgment in the county the original judgment was filed.

Chris