How to File a Satisfaction of Judgment in Arizona: Forms and Fees

To file a satisfaction of judgment in Arizona, the creditor completes and signs the court’s satisfaction form, files it with the clerk of the court that entered the judgment within 30 or 40 days of receiving payment in full, and, if the judgment was recorded as a lien, records the satisfaction with the county recorder in every county where the lien sits. The creditor carries this obligation by statute; the debtor’s role is mostly to confirm it happened and to step in if it doesn’t.

Who Files and by When

Arizona law puts the filing duty on the prevailing party, meaning the creditor who won the judgment. Once the full amount is paid, including any interest and costs that have accrued, the creditor must file the satisfaction with the same court that entered the original judgment. The deadline depends on which court that was:

Many smaller consumer debt and contract cases go through the small claims division, which shortens the window to 30 days. Check your original judgment paperwork if you’re not sure which court handled the case.

What the Form Needs and Where to Get It

The satisfaction form is short, but the details on it need to match the original case exactly. Expect to fill in:

  • The full legal names of the plaintiff (creditor) and defendant (debtor) as they appear on the original judgment.
  • The case number and the specific court that entered the judgment, such as Maricopa County Superior Court or Pima County Justice Court.
  • The date the court entered the judgment.
  • If a lien was recorded, the recording date and either the recording number or the docket, book, and page number from the county recorder.

Arizona justice courts commonly use a form labeled CV6 for satisfactions of judgment, and individual county court websites publish downloadable versions with instructions. The Arizona Judicial Branch site posts general guidance and forms for superior court filings. The creditor signs the form, and many courts require the signature to be notarized or made in front of a court clerk.

Filing With the Court

The signed form goes to the clerk of the court that issued the judgment. You can file in person, by mail, or through e-filing where the court supports it. E-filing availability varies by court and by document type, so confirm with that specific clerk’s office before assuming you can submit online. After filing, the creditor should mail a copy of the filed satisfaction to the debtor as confirmation that the obligation is closed out.

Recording the Satisfaction to Clear a Lien

A judgment only becomes a lien on real property if the creditor took the extra step of recording a certified copy with the county recorder in the county where the property sits.4Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 33-961 – Recording Judgments If that happened, filing the satisfaction with the court alone is not enough. The creditor (or the creditor’s attorney) must also record the satisfaction with the county recorder in every county where the judgment was recorded, and note the satisfaction on the docket of the clerk of the superior court in each of those counties.5Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 33-964 – Lien of Judgment; Duration; Homestead; Partial Release of Judgment Lien; Acknowledgment of Satisfaction by Judgment Creditor; Applicability; Definition Until the recorder’s office has the satisfaction on file, the lien continues to cloud the property’s title even though the court file shows the case closed.

Filing Fees

Arizona justice courts generally do not charge a separate filing fee for a satisfaction of judgment.6Pima County Consolidated Justice Court. Forms and Filing Fees Superior court has a $35 catch-all charge for any paper without a statute-specific fee, which can apply to a satisfaction filed there.7Arizona Judicial Branch. Superior Court Filing Fees If a lien needs to be cleared, the county recorder charges a flat $30 to record the satisfaction. The obligation to file and record sits with the creditor, so the creditor typically pays these costs, but a settlement agreement can allocate them differently.

Partial Payments and Settlements

The statutes are triggered when a judgment “has been paid in full.” That wording matters if you settle for less than the face amount of the judgment. Without specific language in the settlement agreement, a creditor could argue the judgment was never technically paid in full and decline to file the satisfaction.

When drafting or reviewing a settlement, spell out that the creditor will file the satisfaction within a set number of days after receiving the settlement payment, and address who will record the satisfaction with the county recorder if a lien is in place and who covers the recording fee. Getting this on paper before the settlement check changes hands prevents the most common dispute at this stage.

When the Creditor Doesn’t File

If the deadline passes and the creditor hasn’t filed, the debtor can file a motion to compel satisfaction of the judgment. The motion asks the court to deem the judgment satisfied on its own authority, and it must be supported by an affidavit with proof of payment: bank statements showing the transfer, copies of cleared checks, or a signed receipt from the creditor.1Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 12-1567 – Satisfaction of Judgment; Superior Court; Filing Procedures; Hearing; Bond

If you can’t locate the creditor, you also have to show due diligence in trying to reach them, which means documenting attempts to contact them at their last known address, through their attorney of record, and by similar means.2Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 22-247 – Satisfaction of Judgment; Filing Procedures; Hearing; Bond

The judge may hold a hearing to review your evidence. If the court is satisfied, it grants the motion and the resulting order has the same legal effect as a satisfaction filed by the creditor. One thing to be ready for: the judge has discretion to require the debtor to post a bond with the court in the full amount of the judgment, which protects the creditor if the proof of payment is later disputed.1Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 12-1567 – Satisfaction of Judgment; Superior Court; Filing Procedures; Hearing; Bond Clean documentation of the payment makes a bond less likely.

Following Up on Your Credit Report

The court filing and the recorder’s filing close the legal record. Your credit report is a separate system, and the Arizona Judicial Branch specifically advises debtors to confirm the satisfaction is on file with the court so it can be reflected on their credit report.8Arizona Judicial Branch. Resolving a Case Ask the clerk for a stamped copy of the filed satisfaction, and keep the recorder’s receipt if a lien was released. If the judgment still shows as unpaid on your credit report after a few weeks, you can dispute it with the credit bureaus and attach the stamped satisfaction as proof.