Information on how creditors can use judgment liens and judgments against real estate to collect on a court judgment. The judgment must be recorded with the Recorder of Deeds in the county where the debtor's real estate is located.The creditor must file those papers with the county recorder's office in order to obtain a judgment lien. In Illinois, a property lien can be used to collect a court judgment. Here's how it works. Once bankruptcy proceedings conclude, a judgment creditor may foreclose on the property and use sale proceeds to satisfy the debt. If a creditor or debt collector has sued you and gotten a court judgement against you, you have three main options: 1. You can pay the debt. While judgments don't appear on your credit report or affect your credit score, they can still impact your ability to qualify for credit. Sub-prime mortgages allow borrowers with low incomes or bad credit ratings access to home financing.