Judgments for money from any other state, called “Sister State Judgments, can usually be enforced in California. 

California law has the Sister State Money Judgments Act or SSMJA.  Filing an out of state Judgment or  Sister State Money Judgment is often called “domestication” or “domesticating” the Sister State Judgment. 

Who Collects Sister State Money Judgments?   

Greenbaum Law Group LLP is a litigation law firm, not a collection mill.  We collect out of state judgments called Sister State Judgments.  We don’t make telephone calls or send written demands.   We file your Sister State Judgment immediately.  You won’t collect until you have your judgment entered or “domesticated” in California. 

How Much does it cost to attempt collection of a Sister State Judgment?    

We collect Sister State Money Judgments on contingent (percentage) or Hourly fees. See fees here. 

Which Sister State Money Judgments are collectible in California?

We can enforce commercial or business related debts in California from Sister State Judgments over $10,000.

Sister State Judgments are collectable in California when the Judgment Debtor is either: 

1.  In California; or 

2.  The debtor has property, operations, income, assets, customers, accounts receivables, or other sources of money in California.  

How does a Sister State Judgment get entered in California? 

Our law firm will show the California Court that the Judgment from your state (your Sister State) is proper.  

You don’t start over to prove your case.  You don’t have to come here to testify.  There is no new trial.   

We file an “Application for Entry of Sister State Judgment” with a proper copy of your Sister State Judgment.  That is the first step in domesticating your Sister State Judgment. 

What Documents are necessary to recognize or domesticate a Sister State Judgment?  

California law says the Application for Entry of a Sister State Judgment must attach a “properly authenticated copy” of your Sister State Judgment. A “properly authenticated copy” is more than a “certified copy”.  Different states call it “Authenticated” or “Exemplified”.  Either way, you can get it from the original court and it will have a certification of both the Clerk of the Sister State Court and the Judge of the Sister State Court. See examples here: Example 1, Example 2, Example 3.

How long does it take to get a Sister State Judgment entered in California?

After you have sent all the required documents, we file.  Immediately after we file with the California Court, the Sister State Money Judgment is then Domesticated and Judgment entered in California.  But before it becomes enforceable, the California Law requires that a copy of the Application for Entry of Sister State Judgment be personally served on the Judgment Debtor and 30-40 days pass.  A proper location for service of process is important.  

Can a debtor fight a Sister State Judgment?

Very few of Sister State Money Judgment cases are contested.  The Judgment debtor can only protest on very limited grounds.  Generally the protest does not get to any of the underlying facts.  On the very few that are contested, the protest is usually that the Sister State Judgment is 1) on appeal or not final; or 2) has been paid; or 3) was obtained by fraud; or 4) there was never proper service of process on the underlying case.

Is a Sister State Judgment as good as a California Judgment?     

After the 30-40 day waiting period following service, and without any contest,  the Sister State Judgment becomes just as enforceable and collectable as any other California Judgment.