How to File a Satisfaction of Judgment in Connecticut

The Judgment Is Paid — Now Close It Out

When a Connecticut small claims judgment is fully satisfied — whether through voluntary payment, wage garnishment, bank levy, or any combination — you're not done. Under Practice Book § 24-30(b), the judgment creditor must file a formal written notice of satisfaction with the court clerk within 90 days of receiving full payment.

Skipping this step can leave the court record showing the judgment as unpaid. A separate release may also be needed to clear any judgment lien recorded on real property.

Two Ways Satisfaction Gets Recorded

You file it yourself. When the debtor pays you directly (or through a combination of partial payments that total the full balance including interest and costs), you prepare and file a written notice of satisfaction with the court clerk. This is the most common path.

The marshal's return does it automatically. If a State Marshal collects the full judgment amount through an execution — a completed wage garnishment that runs to zero, a bank levy that covers the entire balance — the marshal files a formal return with the court. That return serves as an automatic statutory satisfaction, and you don't need to file separately.

In practice, most judgments are satisfied through a mix of payments and enforcement, so the first path applies more often.

Releasing Judgment Liens

If you recorded a judgment lien on the debtor's real property under CGS § 52-380a, filing satisfaction with the court isn't enough. You must also execute and deliver a formal Release of Judgment Lien to the debtor. The debtor then records this release in the town clerk's land records where the lien was originally filed.

Until the release is recorded, the lien remains in the town land records and may complicate a later sale or refinance.

What "Full Satisfaction" Includes

The judgment isn't satisfied until every component is paid:

• The original judgment amount
• Court filing fees ($95 small claims entry fee, automatically added)
• Accrued post-judgment interest under CGS § 37-3a
• Marshal service fees and collection commissions under CGS § 52-261
• Any other enforcement costs added to the balance

Make sure your running ledger accounts for everything before filing satisfaction. Premature satisfaction — filing when a small balance remains — creates complications if you need to reopen enforcement.

The 90-Day Deadline

Practice Book § 24-30(b) sets a 90-day filing deadline. The judicial authority may, on motion, determine whether the judgment has been satisfied.

The simplest approach: file the notice of satisfaction the same week you confirm the final payment has cleared.

For the complete collection process from first demand through final satisfaction — including a balance ledger for tracking when the judgment reaches zero — the Collecting a Small Claims Judgment in Connecticut guide maps every step.

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