A civil judgment determines financial responsibility for non-criminal legal matters. It awards remunerative and punitive damages, but does not involve imprisonment or restraining orders. The winning party may need to employ an attorney to collect damages, which could include wage garnishment or liens on assets. Unpaid judgments can negatively affect credit scores.
A civil judgment is a verdict in a civil case. In most cases, a civil judgment determines which party is liable for the pecuniary damages claimed by the lawsuit. Two of the most common types of civil awards are remunerative and punitive damages. A person held liable by a civil judgment may be subject to wage garnishment, property liens, and credit score damages if they fail to pay the specified amount of damages.
Civil court proceedings deal with legal matters that are not criminal in nature. Personal injury claims, tenant disputes, and product liability issues are all examples of cases that could involve monetary damages, but do not involve an actual crime. A plaintiff can seek a civil judgment to determine financial responsibility for a civil matter, such as which party is responsible for paying for car repairs and medical bills following a serious automobile accident.
In most cases, the main issue dealt with by a civil judgment is liability for pecuniary damages. Judges in civil cases are usually not authorized to send a person to prison, issue restraining orders, or enact other penalties reserved for prosecution. Civil judgments do not always determine the liability of only one party for damages; in some cases, a judge may find each participant partially liable and apportion the damages accordingly.
Retributive and punitive damages can be awarded following a civil judgment. Compensation for damages means compensation for actual and measurable damages caused by the actions or behavior of the person held responsible. Medical bills, unpaid or overpaid rent, or property repair costs are all forms of remunerative damages. Punitive damages can be extra fines imposed on the winning party if the judge finds that the responsible party acted with willful misconduct and willful misconduct. As the name suggests, punitive damages are not meant to compensate for a specific harm suffered, but to punish the liable party for his or her inappropriate behavior and act as a deterrent against future behavior.
While a civil judgment may award damages, civil courts usually do not review the actual collection and payment of damages. In most cases, the winning party will employ an attorney to attempt to collect the amount awarded by the losing party. If the liable party is unable or unwilling to pay the damages recognized by a civil judgment, the court may authorize the wage garnishment or liens on the debtor’s assets. In some cases, an unpaid civil judgment can also be reported to credit bureaus and can negatively affect your loan and mortgage rates and eligibility.
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