Article 50. Judgments Generally · Last amended 1976 · Last verified July 21, 2026
In one sentenceCPLR 5021 sets out the different ways a clerk enters satisfaction on a judgment's docket, whether through a filed satisfaction-piece, a court order, a deposit into court, a sheriff's return on execution, or a certificate from another county's clerk.
(a)Entry upon Satisfaction-Piece, Court Order, Deposit into Court, Discharge of Compounding Joint Debtor. The clerk of the court in which the judgment was entered or, in the case of a judgment of a court other than the supreme, county or a family court which has been docketed by the clerk of the county in which it was entered, such county clerk, shall make an entry of the satisfaction or partial satisfaction on the docket of the judgment upon:
1. the filing of a satisfaction-piece or partial satisfaction-piece; or 2. the order of the court, made upon motion with such notice to other persons as the court may require, when the judgment has been wholly or partially satisfied but the judgment debtor cannot furnish the clerk with a satisfaction-piece or partial satisfaction-piece; or 3. the deposit with the clerk of a sum of money which satisfies or partially satisfies the judgment pursuant to an order of the court, made upon motion with such notice to other persons as the court may require, permitting such deposit; such an order shall not be made unless the court is satisfied that there are no outstanding executions on which sheriff’s fees have not been paid; or 4. the filing of an instrument specified in article eight of the debtor and creditor law, executed by a creditor releasing or discharging a compounding joint debtor; in such case, the entry on the docket of the judgment shall state that the judgment is satisfied as to the compounding debtor only.
(b)Entry upon Return of Execution. A sheriff shall return an execution to the clerk of the court from which the execution issued if such execution is wholly or partially satisfied, and the clerk shall make an appropriate entry on his docket of the judgment. The sheriff shall also deliver to the person making payment, upon request, a certified copy of the execution and of the return of satisfaction or partial satisfaction. Upon the filing of such copy with the clerk of the county where the execution was satisfied, such clerk shall enter satisfaction or partial satisfaction on his docket of the judgment. Provided however that, in addition, a return of execution arising out of an action brought pursuant to article eighteen of the New York city civil court act, article eighteen of the uniform city court act, article eighteen of the uniform district court act, or article eighteen of the uniform justice court act shall be made and entered whether wholly or partially satisfied, or unsatisfied, within ninety days after receipt of the judgment by the sheriff and the clerk shall make an appropriate entry on his docket of the judgment.
(c)Entry upon Certificate. Upon the filing of a certificate of the clerk of the county in which the judgment was entered, stating that the judgment has been wholly or partially satisfied, the clerk of any court or county where a judgment has been docketed shall make an appropriate entry on his docket of the judgment.
Plain-English Summary
Once a judgment has been paid, clearing the docket requires the right trigger, and CPLR 5021 lists them. Subdivision (a) covers the clerk of the court where the judgment was entered, or where it was docketed by transcript for courts other than the supreme, county, or family court. That clerk enters satisfaction or partial satisfaction upon any of four events: the filing of a satisfaction-piece or partial satisfaction-piece; a court order, made on motion with whatever notice the court requires, addressing a case where the judgment has been satisfied but the debtor can't produce a satisfaction-piece; a deposit with the clerk of money satisfying the judgment under a court order permitting the deposit, which the court won't grant unless satisfied that no outstanding sheriff's fees remain unpaid on any execution; or the filing of an instrument under article 8 of the debtor and creditor law releasing a compounding joint debtor, in which case the docket entry notes satisfaction as to that debtor alone.
Subdivision (b) handles satisfaction through the execution process itself. A sheriff who wholly or partially satisfies an execution has to return it to the clerk of the issuing court, and the clerk makes the corresponding docket entry. The sheriff also delivers a certified copy of the execution and the return, on request, to whoever made the payment, and filing that copy with the clerk of the county where the execution was satisfied triggers a matching docket entry there. Executions arising from certain city, district, and justice court civil actions face an added timing requirement: the sheriff has to make and enter the return, whether the judgment ended up wholly satisfied, partially satisfied, or unsatisfied, within ninety days of receiving the judgment.
Subdivision (c) provides the simplest path for judgments docketed in multiple places: once the clerk of the county where the judgment was entered issues a certificate stating that the judgment has been wholly or partially satisfied, any other court or county clerk where the judgment has been docketed enters satisfaction based on that certificate alone, without needing an independent showing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a New York court clerk record that a judgment has been paid?
CPLR 5021 lists several triggers: filing a satisfaction-piece, a court order finding satisfaction, a deposit of money into court, a sheriff's return showing satisfaction of an execution, or a certificate from another county clerk.
What if the judgment debtor paid but can't get a satisfaction-piece from the creditor?
Under CPLR 5021(a)(2), the court can order the clerk to enter satisfaction on motion, with appropriate notice, when the judgment has been satisfied but the debtor cannot obtain a satisfaction-piece.
Does a sheriff's return of a satisfied execution clear the judgment docket?
Yes. Under CPLR 5021(b), a sheriff returning a wholly or partially satisfied execution triggers the clerk to make an appropriate entry on the judgment's docket.
Is there a deadline for a sheriff to return an execution in city or district court cases?
Yes. For executions from certain city, district, and justice court civil actions, the return must be made and entered within ninety days after the sheriff receives the judgment.
Can a court allow a debtor to deposit money to satisfy a judgment?
Yes, under CPLR 5021(a)(3), but the court won't permit the deposit unless it's satisfied that no outstanding executions have unpaid sheriff's fees.
Advisory Committee Notes
This section covers all the methods of recording satisfaction by payment or by return of a satisfied execution. It replaces CPA §§ 535 through 537, part of § 530 and RCP 29(2) and 204.
The section accords with the 1959 legislation in requiring that all satisfactions be recorded initially in the office of the county clerk of the county in which the judgment was entered or, if a judgment of a court other than the Supreme or County Court has not been docketed in the county clerk’s office, in the office of the clerk of the lower court. Entry of satisfaction in other counties, or in a court other than the Supreme or County Court whose judgment has been docketed by the county clerk, must then be accomplished by certificate under subd (c). The only exception to this provision is entry by filing with a county clerk a certified copy of execution and return of satisfaction within the same county, pursuant to subd (b). This procedure, formerly permitted by § 536, has been retained since it may be more convenient in some cases than obtaining a certificate under subd (c) where speed in releasing a lien is essential. Since the execution must still be returned to the office of the clerk specified in subd (a), retention of the procedure does not detract from the function of that office as a central clearinghouse for all information about the judgment and its enforcement. Abolished, however, is the procedure of filing a satisfaction-piece initially in a different office (CPA § 530) and of filing a certificate of a different clerk with whom a certified copy of execution and return, obtained from the sheriff, has been filed. Id § 537.
All provisions concerning the payment of fees to a clerk or sheriff for issuing a transcript, certificate, or copy of execution and return have been omitted, as has the provision for the two per centum fees of a financial officer of former § 530(4). The sheriff will not himself issue a certificate of satisfaction or return unsatisfied until his fee has been paid. Fee matters will be treated generally elsewhere in the new CPLR.
Subparagraph 2 of proposed subd (a) is derived from New Jersey rule 4:60-3. There was no comparable provision in the former CPA or RCP.
Subparagraph 5 and the last sentence of subparagraph 6 of former § 530, designed to protect the sheriff’s right to fees when an execution has been issued, have been omitted. Where an execution is returned unsatisfied, such fees as have not been paid in advance are small and there is no serious danger that an attorney would refuse to pay them; where a return of satisfaction is made, the sheriff can deduct his fees from the money paid him. See, e.g., CPA §§ 1558(6), 1558(7), 1559. The only situation requiring protection is where a sheriff may be deprived of poundage fees because the debtor chooses to deposit the money in court to avoid them. Accordingly, both the former and present provisions dealing with such deposits make provision for the sheriff’s protection. This protection will be more effective under the new provision that it was under § 530 in cases where executions are outstanding in several counties other than the one where the money is deposited with the clerk, since the court will know where transcripts of the judgment have been docketed by virtue of the notification provided for in rule 5017. Further, since this method of payment is unusual and there should be some good reason for resorting to it, a court order ought to be required. The new provision differs from the former law in requiring a court order for such payment into court. The power to allow such payment could appropriately be used in such cases as where (1) a tender of money has been made to the person entitled to receive satisfaction but was not accepted; or (2) the whereabouts of the person entitled to receive satisfaction are unknown; or (3) satisfaction is claimed by several parties.
The provision in subparagraph 3 of subd (a) requiring “such notice to other persons as the court may direct” eliminates the need for former rule 29(2).
Subparagraph 4 of subd (a) is derived from CPA § 531 with no change of substance.
Amendment History
Add, L 1962, ch 308, eff Sept 1, 1963; amd, L 1965, ch 773, § 13; L 1970, ch 660, § 1; L 1975, ch 486, § 1; L 1976, ch 156, § 9, eff Sept 1, 1976.
Source & verification. Provision text, History, and Advisory
Committee Notes are reproduced verbatim from the Consolidated Laws of New York.
Last verified July 21, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as:entry of satisfaction New York judgmenthow is a judgment marked satisfied NYsheriff return execution satisfaction NYclearing judgment docket New York