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 Utah, a judgment is the final decision made by a judge or jury at the conclusion of a lawsuit. It determines the amount of money that the losing party, known as the judgment debtor, must pay to the winning party, or the judgment creditor. The judgment will include the principal amount owed, as well as any applicable interest that accrues on the judgment amount until it is paid in full. The legal rate of interest on judgments is set by Utah law, unless a different rate is specified in a contract. Additionally, the judgment may include court costs and, in some cases, attorney fees if the court finds it appropriate or if a statute or contract provides for the recovery of attorney fees. Once entered, the judgment creditor can take steps to collect the judgment if it is not voluntarily paid, including garnishment of wages, bank accounts, or other assets of the judgment debtor.