A County Court Judgment confirms a debtor legally owes you money. Here is how you get one on an unpaid invoice, what it means once entered, and what your options are if the debtor still will not pay.
A County Court Judgment (CCJ) is a court order confirming that a debtor legally owes you a specified sum. For an unpaid invoice you obtain one by starting a money claim; if the debtor does not respond in time, judgment is usually entered ‘in default’ without a hearing.
A CCJ sits at the end of the recovery path, not the start. You reach it through the court’s money-claim process.
For most unpaid invoices the route is: a reminder, then a Letter Before Action, and then a County Court money claim — usually issued through Money Claim Online. Once the claim is served, the debtor generally has 14 days to respond. If they do not acknowledge or defend it in time, you can ask the court to enter judgment ‘in default’ — a CCJ is granted without a hearing.
The judgment orders the debtor to pay, often within a set period or by instalments. RobinReturn prepares the documents that take you to this point — the reminder, the Letter Before Action and the claim and default-judgment paperwork you file yourself. The court templates are solicitor-drafted; RobinReturn is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.
The credit consequences are often what gets a debtor to pay — the judgment itself is leverage as well as a legal record.
Once a CCJ is entered it is recorded on the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines for six years, where lenders and suppliers can see it. That visibility is why many debtors settle quickly. If the debtor pays in full within one calendar month of the judgment date, the CCJ can be removed from the register altogether. If they pay later, it is marked ‘satisfied’ but stays on the register for the full six years.
A CCJ does not move money on its own. It confirms the debt and records it publicly — but if the debtor simply ignores it, the judgment has to be acted on through the court before you see a penny.
RobinReturn’s service ends at judgment. Getting a judgment paid afterwards is a separate step you take through the court.
If a debtor ignores a CCJ, you can ask the court to act on it. The main routes are a warrant of control (County Court bailiffs seize goods), an attachment of earnings (deductions from an individual’s wages), a third-party debt order (freezing money a bank or customer owes the debtor) and a charging order (securing the debt against the debtor’s property). Debts over £600 can be transferred to the High Court bailiffs.
Each is a separate court application with its own fee, and the right choice depends on what the debtor owns or earns. RobinReturn helps you reach judgment; what comes after is a step you take yourself, and you may want your own legal advice before choosing a route. The official guidance is on GOV.UK.
New to the terms here? See the glossary, or read the full recovery process.
A County Court Judgment (CCJ) is a court order, made in the County Court, confirming that a debtor legally owes you a specified sum. For an unpaid invoice it turns the debt into a judgment the court will recognise and can act on.
You start a money claim — usually through Money Claim Online — against the debtor. Most CCJs for unpaid invoices are entered 'in default': the debtor is served with the claim and does not respond in time, so judgment is entered without a hearing. RobinReturn prepares the claim documents you file.
No. A CCJ confirms the debt and orders the debtor to pay, but it does not move the money for you. Many debtors pay once judgment is entered to protect their credit. If they still do not pay, getting the judgment paid is a separate step you take through the court.
A CCJ is recorded on the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines for six years. If the debtor pays in full within one calendar month of the judgment date, it can be removed from the register; if paid later, it is marked 'satisfied' but stays on the register for the six years.
You can ask the court to act on it — for example a warrant of control (County Court bailiffs), an attachment of earnings, a third-party debt order or a charging order; larger debts can be transferred to the High Court. That is a separate court process you pursue after judgment, with its own fees, and you may want your own legal advice first. The official guidance is on GOV.UK.
A CCJ is the end of the road, not the start. Begin with a reminder while the debt is fresh. RobinReturn is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.