An abstract of judgment is a written summary of a court’s judgment (final decision made by the judge or jury) that reflects how much the party who lost a lawsuit (the judgment debtor) owes the party who won the lawsuit (the judgment creditor)—including the rate of interest owed on the amount of the judgment until it is paid, the amount of court costs, and possibly the amount of the judgment creditor’s attorney fees the judgment debtor must pay as part of the judgment.

An abstract of judgment is usually filed in the county records and serves as notice of a lien or claim on any real estate (real property) owned or acquired by the judgment debtor in that county. If the judgment debtor does not pay the judgment, the judgment creditor may be able to force a sheriff’s sale of any real property in the county owned by the judgment debtor, with some or all of the proceeds of the sale being used to pay the judgment.

In New Hampshire, an abstract of judgment serves as a condensed version of a court's final decision, indicating the amount owed by the judgment debtor to the judgment creditor, including interest, court costs, and potentially attorney fees. Once the abstract of judgment is filed with the county records, it acts as a lien against the judgment debtor's real property located within that county. This filing is a public notice that the judgment creditor has a claim on the debtor's property. If the judgment debtor fails to satisfy the judgment, the judgment creditor may initiate a process to force the sale of the debtor's real property through a sheriff's sale. The proceeds from such a sale may then be used to pay off the judgment. It's important to note that the process for enforcing judgments, including the creation and enforcement of liens, can be complex and may require the assistance of an attorney to navigate effectively.