Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment California: When and How to File
What an Acknowledgment of Satisfaction Does
When a debtor pays a California small claims judgment in full and sends a written demand for acknowledgment, the judgment creditor must file an Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment with the court. For small claims, this is Form SC-290. Filing it tells the court the debt is resolved and marks the judgment satisfied on the court record; it does not erase the historical record.
If liens have been recorded, failing to complete the required releases can leave them on title records and complicate a sale or refinance. More importantly for you: failing to file on time exposes you to a statutory penalty.
The 14-Day Filing Deadline
Under CCP § 116.850, once the debtor pays the judgment in full and sends you a written demand to acknowledge satisfaction, you have 14 days to file Form SC-290 with the court clerk. The clock starts from the date you receive the written demand — not from the date of payment.
If you fail without reasonable cause to meet the 14-day window, the debtor can file a motion and the court will impose a mandatory $50 penalty plus any actual damages the debtor suffered from the delay. Actual damages could include costs from a blocked property sale or a rejected loan application where the unsatisfied judgment showed up on a title search.
Full vs. Partial Satisfaction
Form SC-290 handles both scenarios:
Full satisfaction — the debtor paid the entire judgment balance, including any accrued statutory interest and recoverable enforcement costs. Check the "Full" box on the form. Once filed, the judgment is fully discharged.
Partial satisfaction — the debtor paid an agreed-upon amount that's less than the full balance, typically through a settlement. Check the "Partial" box and specify the amount acknowledged. The remaining balance stays enforceable.
Filing the satisfaction marks the judgment satisfied, but it does not itself update county recorder or Secretary of State lien records. If you've recorded an Abstract of Judgment (Form EJ-001), deliver an executed, notarized Acknowledgment of Satisfaction to the debtor to record with each county recorder where the abstract was recorded. If you filed a Notice of Judgment Lien (Form JL-1), file Form U3C/JL-4 (Notice of Judgment Lien Termination) with the Secretary of State within 14 days.
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How to Fill Out Form SC-290
The form is straightforward:
- Enter the case number, court name, and names of the parties exactly as they appear on the original judgment
- Check whether the satisfaction is full or partial
- If partial, enter the amount being acknowledged
- Sign under penalty of perjury
- File the original with the court clerk — there's no filing fee
Serve a copy on the debtor so they have proof the judgment is satisfied. Keep your own copy with the payment records.
What If the Debtor Claims They Paid but You Disagree?
Sometimes the debtor sends a payment they believe covers the judgment, but the amount falls short of the full balance once you add accrued interest (5% or 10% per year under CCP § 685.010) and enforcement costs claimed on Form MC-012. You're not required to file a full satisfaction when the payment doesn't cover the complete judgment amount plus lawful additions.
If there's a dispute over the balance, respond to the debtor's demand letter in writing explaining the remaining amount owed. Include your interest calculation and a copy of any MC-012 filing showing costs added to the judgment. The debtor can petition the court to determine the correct balance, and the judge will resolve the math.
Timing the Satisfaction With Lien Releases
If you recorded an abstract of judgment in one or more counties, the satisfaction filing doesn't automatically clear the county recorder's records. Deliver an executed, notarized Acknowledgment of Satisfaction to the debtor to record with each county recorder where the abstract was filed. Until that happens, the lien continues showing up on title searches even though the judgment itself is satisfied at the court level.
The California Small Claims Judgment Collection Guide covers the full lifecycle from enforcement through satisfaction filing, including how to calculate the exact payoff amount when the debtor is ready to settle.
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