Satisfaction of Judgment in Massachusetts Small Claims Court

Why You Need to File a Satisfaction

You won your judgment, collected the money, and the case is over — almost. The final step that many creditors skip is filing an Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment with the court. This officially records that the debtor has paid the debt in full and clears the judgment from the court docket.

Skipping this step creates real problems. A paid judgment can continue to appear unsatisfied on the court docket until the acknowledgment is filed, creating problems if the debtor needs to prove payment or if an execution lien remains recorded against property. If the plaintiff does not file the acknowledgment, the defendant can ask the court to enter a docket notation of satisfaction after notice and proof of payment.

Filing the satisfaction protects you too. It closes the case cleanly, ends your obligation to track the judgment, and eliminates any future dispute about whether the debt was paid.

When to File

File the Acknowledgment of Satisfaction after you've received the full judgment amount, including:

• The original principal award
• All taxed court costs (filing fees, supplementary process fees)
• Officer service fees (sheriff and constable charges)
• Post-judgment interest at 12% annually under G.L. c. 235, § 8

If the debtor made installment payments, keep a running ledger so you know exactly when the total — including interest accrued during the payment period — is fully satisfied. Accepting a final payment that falls short of the total due doesn't automatically require you to file a satisfaction; the filing is only required when the judgment is paid in full.

Uniform Small Claims Rule 7B(g) requires you to file the Acknowledgment of Satisfaction with the court within 21 days of full payment. Once filed, the clerk recalls any outstanding execution.

How to File

The Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment is a statewide form available from the clerk-magistrate's office or on Mass.gov. The form requires:

• The case caption (parties' names and case number)
• The court where judgment was entered
• The date of judgment
• A statement that the judgment has been fully satisfied
• Your signature as the judgment creditor

File the completed form with the clerk-magistrate at the court where the judgment was entered. There's no filing fee for a satisfaction. The clerk records it on the docket, and the judgment shows as satisfied in the MassCourts database.

If You Recorded a Lien

If you had a real estate execution lien recorded against the debtor's property, you also need to record a discharge or release of the lien at the same Registry. The satisfaction filed with the court updates the court record, but the Registry of Deeds is a separate system — a lien recorded there stays on the property title until you record a separate discharge of execution lien.

Record a formal discharge of execution lien with the Registry of Deeds; a certified copy of the filed Acknowledgment of Satisfaction may support that filing. There's a small recording fee, typically under $100.

Partial Satisfaction

If the debtor pays part of the judgment and you agree to release certain enforcement actions — for example, releasing a wage garnishment while keeping a property lien in place — document the payment and the agreed release in writing. A partial payment is not full satisfaction, so do not file the full Acknowledgment until the judgment is fully satisfied.

If you settle for less than the full judgment, the release document should clearly state the settlement amount and that you accept it as full satisfaction of the judgment. Get this in writing before filing.

The complete Massachusetts judgment collection guide covers the full case-closure process — from calculating the final balance with interest and costs through filing the satisfaction and releasing any recorded liens.

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