Also known as: money judgment · judgments for money · monetary judgment
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
A final judicial determination that awards a specific sum of money to one party payable by another. The award creates an enforceable obligation that may be collected through execution or other collection mechanisms.
Jennifer Jackson obtained a child-support order in State A. After moving to State B, the father fell behind on payments. When State B later determined its order controlled, the court entered a judgment for money covering the full amount of arrears that had accrued in State A plus interest before the controlling-order determination. The judgment allowed Jennifer to enforce collection directly against the father's assets in State B.
Jorge Juarez won a personal-injury verdict against Burlington Northern Railroad Co. After the railroad appealed and lost, the trial court added a statutory affirmance penalty to the original award. The resulting judgment for money required the railroad to pay both the verdict amount and the penalty, which the plaintiff could collect by execution.
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Jasmine Jordan sued her landlord for breach of the implied warranty of habitability after repeated heating failures. The court found the landlord liable and entered a judgment for money equal to the difference between the rent paid and the value of the defective premises. Jordan could then enforce the award through garnishment of the landlord's rental receipts.
The bankruptcy trustee sued Granfinanciera, S.A. to recover funds fraudulently transferred from the debtor's estate. After trial the court entered a judgment for money against the transferee in the exact amount of the avoided transfers. The trustee could then execute on the defendant's bank accounts to satisfy the judgment.
Jeffrey Jha obtained a custody decree in State X that included a support component. When the mother later sought enforcement in State Y, the court reduced the accrued unpaid support to a judgment for money. The father could then be required to satisfy the judgment through wage withholding in State Y.
Jacob Jennings obtained a default judgment against a nonresident debtor whose only asset in the forum was a parcel of land. The court entered a judgment for money and authorized execution against the land. The sheriff sold the property at auction and applied the proceeds to satisfy the monetary award.
A money judgment is enforced by a writ of execution unless the court directs otherwise. The procedure follows the law of the state where the court sits, subject to any applicable federal statute.
When a judgment for money has been fully paid and formally satisfied, the underlying claim is extinguished against all other tortfeasors responsible for the same indivisible harm.
In tort actions the judgment for money represents the sum awarded to compensate the plaintiff for harm caused by the defendant's tortious conduct, not the underlying injury itself.
When a good-faith converter promptly tenders back the chattel in substantially unimpaired condition, the court may reduce the amount of the money judgment to reflect the limited actual loss.
…of such legislation in enforcing the contract of a non-resident can arise. The question here respects only the validity of a money judgment rendered in one State, in an action upon a simple contract against the resident of another, without service of process upon him, or his appearance therein. Judgment affirmed.…