The judgment is final decision made by the judge or jury that reflects how much the party who lost the 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.
In Kentucky, a judgment is the final decision made by a judge or jury at the conclusion of a lawsuit. This decision determines the amount of money that the losing party, known as the judgment debtor, must pay to the winning party, or judgment creditor. The judgment will include the principal amount owed, as well as any interest that accrues on that amount until it is paid in full. The rate of interest is set by state law and may vary depending on the type of judgment. Additionally, the judgment may include court costs and, in some cases, attorney fees if the court finds it appropriate or if a contract or statute provides for the recovery of attorney fees. Once entered, the judgment creditor has the right to collect the judgment amount from the judgment debtor, and various methods of collection are available, such as wage garnishment, property liens, and bank account levies. Kentucky law provides specific procedures for the enforcement of judgments, and the judgment creditor must follow these procedures to lawfully collect the debt.