(a) Entry upon notice. — Upon being paid all amounts due on a money judgment, the judgment creditor shall furnish to the judgment debtor and file with the clerk a written statement that the judgment has been satisfied. Upon the filing of the statement the clerk shall enter the judgment satisfied.
Rule 3-626.Satisfaction of money judgment
District Court · Last amended July 1, 1986 · Last verified July 13, 2026
In one sentenceOnce a District Court money judgment is paid off, the creditor must tell the court it's satisfied, or the debtor can ask a judge to say so instead.
Full Text of Rule 3-626
(b) Entry upon motion. — If the judgment creditor fails to comply with section (a) of this Rule, the judgment debtor may file a motion for an order declaring that the judgment has been satisfied. The motion shall be served on the judgment creditor in the manner provided in Rule 3-121. If the court is satisfied from an affidavit filed by the judgment debtor that despite reasonable efforts the judgment creditor cannot be served or the whereabouts of the judgment creditor cannot be determined, the court shall order service by the mailing of a copy of the motion to the judgment creditor’s last known address.
(c) Costs and expenses. — If the court enters an order of satisfaction, it shall order the judgment creditor to pay to the judgment debtor the costs and expenses incurred in obtaining the order, including reasonable attorney’s fees, unless the court finds that the judgment creditor had a justifiable reason for not complying with the requirements set forth in section (a). If the motion for an order of satisfaction is denied, the court may award costs and expenses, including reasonable attorney’s fees, under Rule 1-341.
Amendment History
Amended Apr. 7, 1986, effective July 1, 1986.
Committee Note & Source
Source. This Rule is new.
Plain-English Summary
Getting paid on a judgment is only half the job — the court record has to reflect it. Rule 3-626 puts the first move on the judgment creditor: once paid in full, the creditor must give the debtor a written statement that the judgment is satisfied and file that statement with the clerk, who then marks the judgment satisfied.
If the creditor doesn't follow through, the debtor isn't stuck waiting. The debtor can file a motion asking the court to declare the judgment satisfied, served on the creditor the way any motion is served under Rule 3-121. If the debtor can show, by affidavit, that reasonable efforts to locate or serve the creditor failed, the court can order service by mail to the creditor's last known address instead.
The rule backs this up with a cost-shifting rule. If the court grants the debtor's motion, it orders the creditor to pay the debtor's costs and expenses, including reasonable attorney's fees, for having to bring the motion at all, unless the creditor had a justifiable reason for not filing the satisfaction voluntarily. If the court denies the motion instead, it can award costs and expenses, including attorney's fees, under Rule 1-341.
Frequently Asked Questions
What must a judgment creditor do once the judgment is paid in full?
Give the debtor a written statement that the judgment has been satisfied and file that statement with the clerk. The clerk then marks the judgment satisfied.
What can a debtor do if the creditor won't confirm the judgment is paid?
File a motion asking the court to declare the judgment satisfied, and serve it on the creditor under Rule 3-121. If the creditor can't be located despite reasonable efforts, the debtor can ask the court to allow service by mail to the creditor's last known address.
Can a debtor recover attorney's fees for having to file a satisfaction motion?
Yes, if the court grants the motion. The court orders the creditor to pay the debtor's costs and expenses, including reasonable attorney's fees, unless the creditor had a justifiable reason for not filing the satisfaction voluntarily.
What if the court denies the debtor's motion?
The court has discretion to award costs and expenses, including attorney's fees, under Rule 1-341.
Source & verification. Rule text, Committee Note, Source note, and
amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Maryland Rules, adopted by the
Supreme Court of Maryland. Last verified July 13, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: satisfaction of judgment maryland district courtmark judgment as paidmotion to declare judgment satisfiedjudgment paid in full statement