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 South Dakota, an abstract of judgment is a summary of a court's final decision that outlines the debt owed by the losing party (judgment debtor) to the winning party (judgment creditor). This document includes details such as the amount of the judgment, interest rate, court costs, and potentially the attorney fees that the judgment debtor is required to pay. Once the abstract of judgment is filed with the county records, it acts as a lien or claim against any real property owned or subsequently acquired by the judgment debtor within that county. This serves as a public notice that the judgment creditor has a legal interest in the debtor's property. If the judgment debtor fails to satisfy the judgment, the judgment creditor may enforce the judgment by initiating a sheriff's sale of the debtor's real property located in the county. The proceeds from such a sale may be used to pay off the judgment. It's important to note that certain exemptions may apply, and the process must adhere to state statutes and rules of civil procedure.