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 California, an abstract of judgment is a formal 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 the attorney fees awarded. Once the abstract of judgment is issued, it is typically recorded with the county recorder's office where the judgment debtor owns or later acquires real property. This recording establishes a lien against the debtor's real property within that county. If the judgment is not satisfied, the judgment creditor may enforce the lien, potentially leading to a sheriff's sale of the property to cover the debt. The proceeds from such a sale would then be applied to the outstanding judgment amount. It's important to note that certain exemptions may protect some of the debtor's property from being sold, and the process of enforcing a judgment through a sale involves specific legal procedures that must be followed.