Statute of Limitations for a Judgment Lien in Louisiana

A judgment creditor is the winning plaintiff in a debt collection lawsuit. The defendant must pay the judgment order for the bad debt as required by law. If she does not, the judgment creditor can seek an additional court order to obtain a lien against the defendant’s property to ensure payment.

All judgments are public report, and, in Louisiana, a judgment lien remains on a consumer credit file for 10 years. After receiving written notification from the judgment creditor, the court notifies the three major credit bureaus -- TransUnion, Experian and Equifax -- that the judgment lien is satisfied. The court will not remove the judgment lien from the debtor’s consumer credit file until it expires.

To receive a judgment, the plaintiff must prove that a past due debt is unlikely to be repaid outside of court. The plaintiff may provide supporting documentation, such as an original written contract or repayment agreement and evidence of a charge-off. According to Louisiana state law, a charge-off must occur when debt reaches the 180-day mark. A charge-off means debt is written off at a significant loss.

If a debtor fails to pay a judgment, the judgment creditor may enforce the judgment by garnishing the debtor’s wages, freezing his bank account or placing a lien against his property. The judgment creditor must obtain a court order before taking ownership of the debtor's property. Every state mandates the amount of time creditors have to execute a judgment lien.

To enforce a judgment lien and take ownership of a debtor’s property, a judgment creditor must foreclose on the property. Like a bank foreclosing on an unpaid mortgage loan, the judgment creditor must file a writ of execution in a Louisiana civil court to initiate the foreclosure process. A foreclosure terminates any legal rights the debtor has to the property.