Arizona Satisfaction of Judgment Form

The 30-Day Deadline

Once a judgment is fully paid — whether through voluntary payment, garnishment, or a combination — you have 30 days to file a Satisfaction of Judgment with the Justice Court. This isn't optional. Under A.R.S. § 22-525, the creditor has a statutory duty to close the court record.

If you miss this deadline, the debtor may move to compel satisfaction under A.R.S. § 22-525(B); if the motion is granted, the judgment is deemed satisfied. More practically, the debtor still shows an outstanding judgment on court records, which can affect their ability to buy property, refinance, or pass a background check.

The Form and Filing

The Arizona Judicial Branch lists AOCCVGE22F for satisfaction after an earnings garnishment and AOCCVGN16F for satisfaction after a non-earnings garnishment. For a judgment paid outside garnishment, check the Justice Court precinct's instructions for the form it accepts. Complete the form with the case number, parties' names, amount paid, and date of final payment, then file it with the clerk where your case was decided.

There's a small filing fee at some precincts. Keep a stamped copy for your records.

Releasing Recorded Liens

Filing the Satisfaction of Judgment with the court is only the first step. If you recorded a judgment lien with any County Recorder, you need to file a certified copy of the Satisfaction there too. Each county where you recorded a lien needs its own release. Without it, the lien continues to cloud the debtor's title even though the debt is paid.

Notifying MVD

If your judgment arose from a motor vehicle accident and you obtained a driver's license suspension under A.R.S. § 28-4071, you must also deliver a certified copy of the Satisfaction to the Arizona MVD. Until you do, the debtor's license and registration remain suspended — and an unreleased suspension on a paid judgment is indefensible.

Discharging Active Garnishments

If you have active wage garnishments or bank levies, send formal release notices to the employer and financial institution. An employer continuing to withhold wages after the judgment is satisfied will look to you to explain why — and the debtor has grounds to seek damages.

Partial Payments and Partial Satisfaction

If the debtor pays in installments, you don't file a Satisfaction until the full amount — principal plus accrued post-judgment interest plus recoverable court costs — is collected. Partial payments are allocated first to accrued interest, then to costs, then to principal.

Keep a running ledger. When the final payment arrives, calculate whether everything is covered before filing. Once a Satisfaction is recorded, reopening the case to collect a remaining balance is far more complicated than getting it right the first time.

What "Fully Paid" Means

The judgment balance isn't just the original award. It includes:

• Post-judgment interest accrued under A.R.S. § 44-1201
• Recoverable court costs (filing fees, constable service fees, transcript fees)
• Any execution expenses you advanced

Add these up before accepting a final payment. If the debtor sends a check for the original judgment amount, it's probably short.

Get the complete Arizona judgment collection guide with an interest calculator, cost tracking worksheet, and satisfaction filing checklist.

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