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 York, an abstract of judgment is a document that encapsulates the details of a court's final decision in a lawsuit, indicating the amount owed by the judgment debtor to the judgment creditor. This includes the principal amount, interest rate, court costs, and potentially attorney fees. Once the abstract of judgment is filed with the county clerk, it acts as a lien against any real property owned by the debtor within that county. This lien serves as a public record, putting third parties on notice of the creditor's claim. If the debtor fails to satisfy the judgment, the creditor may enforce the lien through legal procedures, such as initiating a sheriff's sale of the debtor's real property. The proceeds from such a sale may be used to fulfill the debt owed under the judgment. It's important to note that certain exemptions may apply, protecting some of the debtor's property from being sold to satisfy the judgment.