Lawyer to Domesticate Out-of-State Judgments
New York and New Jersey
A foreign judgment obtained in another state (or another country) can be domesticated and docketed in New York and/or New Jersey so that it can be enforced against property and other assets that the judgment debtor owns in one (or both) of those states.
Most out-of-state judgments that were not obtained on default can be filed in either New York or New Jersey by way of a relatively streamlined and quick procedure, without the need to start a lawsuit or other formal judicial proceeding. What must be filed is an official authenticated copy of the foreign judgment, a sworn legal document that provides required information about the foreign judgment, and a filing fee.
By contrast, a foreign default judgment will not be docketed and given “full faith and credit” in either New York or New Jersey without a lawsuit that must be served on the judgment debtor and establishes that the out-of-state judgment should be recognized here.
If you or your business need assistance with domesticating and enforcing a foreign judgment in New York or New Jersey, please contact Larry Sass, an experienced judgment enforcement attorney and litigator, to discuss the available options and a strategy to try to maximize your recovery on the judgment.