Title 1. Organization and Jurisdiction · Chapter 5.5. Small Claims Court · Article 8. Satisfaction and Enforcement of Judgment · Enacted 1990 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 116.840 gives the judgment debtor a choice between paying the judgment directly to the judgment creditor under § 116.850 or paying it to the court under § 116.860, with the small claims court authorized to order satisfaction of judgment under either path.
(a)At the option of the judgment debtor, payment of the judgment may be made either (1) to the judgment creditor in accordance with Section 116.850, or (2) to the court in which the judgment was entered in accordance with Section 116.860.
(b)The small claims court may order entry of satisfaction of judgment in accordance with subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 116.850, or subdivision (b) of Section 116.860.
Plain-English Summary
Section 116.840 is a short routing provision that sets up the two payment methods covered in the sections that immediately follow it. Subdivision (a) lets the judgment debtor choose: pay the judgment creditor directly, following the procedure in § 116.850, or pay the court itself, following the procedure in § 116.860.
Subdivision (b) confirms the small claims court can order entry of satisfaction of judgment under either path, according to the specific subdivisions of § 116.850 or § 116.860 that apply to the debtor’s chosen method.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I pay a small claims judgment to the other party or to the court?
Section 116.840(a) gives the judgment debtor the choice — pay the judgment creditor directly under § 116.850, or pay the court under § 116.860.
Can the court enter satisfaction of judgment no matter which payment method I use?
Yes. Section 116.840(b) lets the small claims court order entry of satisfaction of judgment under either payment path, following the specific subdivisions of § 116.850 or § 116.860 that apply.
Amendment History
Added Stats 1990 ch 1305 § 3 (SB 2627).
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 28, 2026.
· Official source
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