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 Montana, a judgment is the final decision made by a judge or jury at the conclusion of a lawsuit. It specifies 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, along with any applicable interest that accrues until the debt is paid in full. Additionally, the judgment may encompass court costs and, in some cases, attorney fees if the law or a contract between the parties allows for such recovery. The rate of interest on judgments in Montana is set by state law, which can be found in the Montana Code Annotated (MCA). Once entered, a judgment is enforceable, and the judgment creditor can take various legal actions to collect the debt, such as wage garnishment, bank account levies, or placing liens on property.