Special situations

Can I get a personal loan with a judgment on my credit?

Short answer

Possible but harder. A civil judgment on your credit report signals to lenders that prior creditors had to sue to collect. Most mainstream lenders decline, though some online subprime lenders consider applications if the judgment is older than 12-24 months and you're current on other obligations.

Context

Civil judgments stop appearing on credit reports under FCRA Public Records reforms (since 2017, most judgments are no longer reported because they don't meet stricter data-accuracy standards). However, lenders can still discover judgments through public-records searches outside the credit-bureau system.

If you're trying to get credit with an outstanding judgment, the cleanest path is to settle or satisfy the judgment first (even if at a discount). A 'satisfied' judgment is much less damaging to lender perception than an open one.

Editorial

Reviewed by: Compliance Review
Last reviewed: May 22, 2026

Glossary: Default

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