Have you ever wondered how to remove a judgment? Removing a judgment is as easy as undergoing a process called credit clearance or using an attorney to aid your defence in court. You’ll need to dispute the judgment with the credit bureaus. If your dispute is successful, the judgment will be removed from your credit profile.
Judgments are public records of defaults and usually pop up on your credit profile after a creditor has taken legal action against you. If they win the case, the court files a motion to publically record your debt. It has serious and far-reaching consequences; you won’t be able to take out credit until the judgment has reached its expiry date or you have paid the debt.
While the judgment is under your name, creditors can take legal action against you and seize your assets. So, how does one return to judgment-free living?
There are two ways to remove a judgment, depending on your circumstance. If you’ve paid off the debt that made the judgment come to pass, you can clear your credit by submitting a dispute to the bureaus– credit clearance. If someone is in the process of filing a judgment against you and you’ve received a summons to court or Section 129 notice, you’ll need the assistance of an attorney to defend you in court.
With credit clearance, you’ll need to gather and submit supporting evidence, like paid-up letters from creditors or bank statements, as well as identification like proof of address or an ID document.
In contrast, legal defence mandates that you use an attorney or other legal aid to defend you and, if possible, negotiate the best possible terms with creditors. If you are summoned to court and don’t show up, you can be arrested and sent to prison for contempt of court. Luckily, you can’t go to prison for debt alone, unless it’s not paying taxes or child welfare. Even then, with a strong enough legal argument, you can avoid imprisonment.
Let Cape Town Legal Consultants defend you or remove the judgment from your credit profile and clear your credit report. We’re industry-disrupting experts with years of experience helping clients find financial freedom. Contact us now.