"Principal amount of the judgment" means the total amount of the judgment as entered or as last renewed, together with the costs thereafter added to the judgment pursuant to Section 685.090, reduced by any partial satisfactions of such amount and costs and by any amounts no longer enforceable.
§ 680.300.Principal Amount of the Judgment
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 680.300 defines the principal amount of the judgment as the total amount entered or last renewed, plus costs later added under § 685.090, minus any partial satisfactions and any amounts no longer enforceable, the figure used to calculate ongoing interest and remaining exposure.
Full Text of § 680.300
Plain-English Summary
A judgment is rarely a single fixed number for its entire life. Partial payments come in, costs get added, portions become time-barred, and renewals reset the baseline. This section defines a running figure -- the principal amount of the judgment -- that accounts for all of that movement at any given moment: start with the amount as entered or as last renewed, add in costs later tacked on under § 685.090, then subtract whatever has already been satisfied and whatever is no longer enforceable.
This number matters most for interest calculations. Interest accrues on the principal amount of the judgment, so getting this figure right -- crediting payments, adding proper costs, excluding stale portions -- directly affects how much a debtor ultimately owes and how much a creditor can lawfully collect.
It also matters at renewal. When a creditor applies to renew a judgment before it expires, the renewed principal amount reflects this same running calculation, not whatever number appeared on the original judgment years earlier.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is included in the "principal amount of the judgment"?
The total amount of the judgment as entered or as last renewed, plus costs added afterward under § 685.090, minus any partial satisfactions and any amounts that are no longer enforceable.
Why does this figure matter for calculating interest?
Because interest on a money judgment accrues on the principal amount as defined here, so accurately tracking payments, added costs, and unenforceable portions is essential to calculating what remains owed.
Does the principal amount change when a judgment is renewed?
Yes. A renewal generally resets the calculation using the amount as last renewed, still adjusted for later costs, partial satisfactions, and unenforceable amounts.
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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