California Courts: Self-Help Center: Small Claims: What to Do If You Are Suing: What to Do After Your Hearing Checklist

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What to Do After Your Hearing Checklist

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If the other person owes you money, try to get them to pay you. Once they've paid, file a form called Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment (form EJ-100). Click here for more information about collecting your judgment.
If you owe money, pay the court or the other person. If you don't pay, you must mail a form (Judgment Debtor's Statement of Assets (form SC-133)) to the plaintiff within 30 days. After you pay, make sure the other person files a form called Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment (form EJ-100). If the plaintiff doesn't file this form, you may ask the court clerk to enter a "satisfaction of judgment" if you can prove you paid the full amount of the judgment with the interest and costs.

If, after you request in writing that the plaintiff file the Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment (form EJ-100), and he fails/refuses to comply within 14 days, you may sue the plaintiff for $50 plus any actual damages incurred (Code of Civil Procedure, section 116.850 ).
As the plaintiff, you can't appeal the judge's decision on your claim. Only the person or business you sued can appeal the decision.
You can appeal if the other person or business sued you (called "countersuing") and you lost. Click here to learn how to appeal.
Click here to get more information from the Department of Consumer Affairs' Web site.

Last modified: 03/17/2008