"Court" means the court where the judgment sought to be enforced was entered.
§ 680.160.Court
Title 9. Enforcement of Judgments · Division 1 · Chapter 1. Short Title and Definitions · Enacted 1982 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 680.160 defines court, for Enforcement of Judgments Law purposes, as the court where the judgment sought to be enforced was entered, fixing the proper forum for enforcement proceedings even though the debtor or the property may be located elsewhere.
Full Text of § 680.160
Plain-English Summary
A judgment debtor's assets can be scattered across the state, or the debtor might move counties after the case ends, but this section keeps enforcement proceedings anchored to one place: the court that entered the judgment in the first instance. When the Enforcement of Judgments Law refers to "the court" -- in provisions about renewing a judgment, ruling on exemption claims, or awarding enforcement costs -- it means that originating court, not wherever the debtor currently lives or wherever a levying officer happens to be executing a writ.
This fixed-forum approach simplifies things for judgment creditors and debtors alike. Rather than figuring out which of several possible courts has authority over a given enforcement dispute, both sides know the answer is always the same: go back to the court that rendered the judgment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which court handles enforcement disputes under the Enforcement of Judgments Law?
The court where the judgment sought to be enforced was entered, regardless of where the judgment debtor currently resides or where the debtor's property is located.
What if the judgment debtor has moved to a different county since the judgment was entered?
The originating court still handles enforcement proceedings under the Enforcement of Judgments Law's definition of "court" -- the debtor's current location does not shift jurisdiction to a different courthouse.
Amendment History
Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1364, Sec. 2. Operative July 1, 1983, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 1364.
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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