Just a question I was thinking of and thought maybe someone here would know the answer.

When I was 18 I had a credit card that I didn't pay. They sued me and got a judgement. A couple years later I grew up and paid them.

The problem is the judgement is still recorded against me. The payoff letter from citibank was enough to get my mortgage (and my refi), but I'm sure that the score was still negatively affected and I'm paying for it in higher interest.

I have contacted the bill collectors from back then- they're no longer employed by citi. And their customer service department has been unable to help me ( "you don't have any accounts with us" ).

So- the creditor has no record of the debt, and I have a letter stating that it was paid off... but the creditor won't do anything to lift the judgement. Is there something I can do myself in this case? Would I go to the credit bureu, or the court directly? If so, how?

Thanks if anyone knows!

The only way you can get this released is to have the attorney or creditor who filed the judgment file a release.

Ask the county recorder which attorney filed the judgment and call that attorney.

How did you pay Citibank? You say the payoff letter (I am assuming for the judgment) was there to get you the mortgage, was the judgment paid off at closing? We use to see the payoff of judgments and liens at the closing table and recorded on the HUD-I. In more recent years, we have only been able to do this with collections.

See if you can get Citi to give you a letter stating you do not owe them any money. Full name, address and social security number. (I would want that for my personal records, in any event). I would then take that letter and write to the Clerk of the Circuit Court asking them how to get the judgment set aside, removed, or status changed. Each state will answer differently. Try the court's website. I recently was able to get a judgment removed recently and it was a breeze in a small town, Prescott Justice, AZ. My borrower thinks I am a saint and I haven't shared how simple it was.

A little known fact that it is the responsibility (and cost) of the plaintiff to have the Satisfaction of Judgment recorded.