A judgment can remain on your credit report as long as it is “valid” or “active.” In Texas, judgments are valid (“active”) for at least 10 years and they can be renewed for another 10 years after that, and then another 10 year after that, and so on, indefinitely.
Judgments awarded in Texas to a non-government creditor are generally valid for ten years but can be renewed for longer. If a judgment is not renewed, it will become dormant. A creditor can request to revive a dormant judgment to continue to try and collect the debt.
We've collected judgments, in full, that were more than twenty years old. A Texas judgment is valid for ten years from the date it is signed by the judge. After the expiration of ten years the judgment is dormant for two years. During that two year period of dormancy the judgment cannot be enforced.
You can access various court records through legal databases like Lexis, Westlaw, and Fastcase. State Law Library patrons can use Fastcase remotely to find final opinions for select Texas and federal appellate cases. Lexis and Westlaw are available at the library in person.
Post-Judgment Discovery Court rules state the losing party must be given at least 30 days to respond to a request. The losing party may file a written objection with the court within 30 days of receiving the request. If an objection is filed, the judge must hold a hearing to determine if the request is valid.
You must file a Motion to Set Aside Default Judgment and Notice of Hearing within 30 days of the date the default judgment was signed by the judge. See Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 329(b). In Justice Court, the deadline is 14 days.
Do judgments expire in Texas? Judgments awarded in Texas to a non-government creditor are generally valid for ten years but can be renewed for longer. If a judgment is not renewed, it will become dormant.
If the case is tried by a Judge, the Judge's decision is called a judgment. If the case is tried by a Jury, the Jury's decision is called a verdict. In determining a defendant's guilt or innocence, the Judge or Jury can consider only the testimony of the witnesses and any evidence properly admitted during the trial.