How Long Is a Judgment Good for in Texas?
The 10-Year Clock
Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 34.001(a), a money judgment becomes dormant if no writ of execution is issued within 10 years after the date the judgment is signed. Once dormant, a writ of execution cannot issue until the judgment is revived.
Any abstract of judgment lien you recorded also terminates the moment the underlying judgment goes dormant, regardless of how long ago you recorded the abstract.
How to Keep It Active
The fix is straightforward: request a writ of execution from the Justice Court Clerk before the 10-year mark. Even if you don't plan to use the writ immediately, having it issued resets the clock.
When a writ of execution is issued within the initial 10-year period, the judgment stays active for an additional 10 years from the date of writ issuance. You can repeat this process indefinitely — there's no limit on how many times you can extend a judgment's life by issuing writs.
Mark the dormancy deadline on your calendar and request a fresh writ at least a few months before it hits. The issuance fee is small ($5–$8 depending on the county), and missing the deadline is permanent.
The 2-Year Revival Window
If you miss the 10-year mark and the judgment goes dormant, you have a narrow window to revive it. Under Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 31.006, the judgment creditor must file a Motion for Writ of Scire Facias or initiate an action to revive the dormant judgment within two years after it became dormant.
This means the absolute outer limit is 12 years from the date of judgment signing (10 years to dormancy + 2 years to revive). Miss the revival window and the judgment expires permanently — it can never be enforced again.
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What Dormancy Means in Practice
A dormant judgment isn't just unenforceable — it actively unwinds your prior collection work:
- Abstract liens terminate. Any real property liens created by recording an abstract of judgment in the County Clerk's office disappear.
- Execution stops. No new writ of execution can issue until the judgment is revived.
- Interest keeps accruing. Post-judgment interest under Finance Code § 304.003 continues to accrue even during dormancy. If you revive the judgment, the full interest balance remains owed.
A Practical Timeline
Here's how the dormancy rules play out for a judgment signed on January 15, 2026:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Jan 15, 2026 | Judgment signed — 10-year clock starts |
| Jan 15, 2036 | Judgment goes dormant if no writ was issued |
| Jan 15, 2038 | Revival window closes — judgment expires permanently |
If you issue a writ of execution on June 1, 2030, the judgment stays active until June 1, 2040. Issue another writ before that date and it extends again.
Don't Wait Until Year Nine
The most common mistake is letting a judgment sit for years and then scrambling to collect as dormancy approaches. Debtors' financial situations change — someone who was judgment-proof at year one may own a house or business by year five.
Periodically running post-judgment discovery and checking county appraisal district records keeps you aware of new assets as they appear.
The Texas judgment collection guide includes a dormancy tracking worksheet and a complete timeline of when to take each enforcement step.
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