Can Incorrect Information be changed on a Judgment?

You have a judgment on your Credit History Report that is showing inaccurate information. Maybe the balance is wrong or has not been updated so it hurts your credit score even more. Can that information be corrected? With patience and diligence you can get that information to be reported correctly.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) gives you the right to dispute anything on your credit report that is inaccurate, misleading or simply not yours. By having your credit history report accurate, the score will be as accurate as possible for you. Most people who want to improve their credit don’t know that getting your report as accurate as possible is the best place to start.

After you have reviewed your credit history report, make note of everything on your report that is incorrect. This includes the judgment that is inaccurate. Generally, it is best to correct the “easy” information first and take on the judgment and/or bankruptcy last. Judgments and Bankruptcies generally are more difficult to correct because your dispute may fall on “deaf” ears. Many courts do not update information on credit history so if you have been paying on a judgment but they have not updated the balance or even to show that you have paid it off. This is really important for getting new credit or showing that you have been doing the right thing.

Write your dispute and let the Credit Bureau know that the judgment is incorrect. Continue to dispute that until the Credit Bureaus are reporting accurate information (or it has been removed because the court did not respond back to the credit bureau). If the item is removed, don’t dispute it again because having it off your credit report is best for your credit score.

Remember to dispute late payment history first, collection accounts second and finally dispute judgments or bankruptcies last. Do not dispute them all at the same time as the Credit Bureau may determine that your dispute is “Frivolous” and won’t pursue your dispute any further.

If you don’t have the time to dispute this properly, hire a professional. There are several good Credit Repair Companies that will legitimately dispute the incorrect information for you. Check out the FTC.gov website for assistance in finding a good Credit Repair Company.

Mel Jensen is a retired Customer Service Manager with Ovation Credit Services.
He has written many articles regarding Credit Repair.