By Joel G. Selik
Taking extra care in writing judgments can avoid issues ranging from delaying collection and creating additional work and costs to rendering the judgment uncollectible. Following these five protocols can help.
1. Clearly identify the debtor(s), creditor(s), and amount(s)
Clerks, banks, and others should be able to clearly see who is entitled to how much.
The judgment must be clear as to the identity of the debtor with the debtor’s full name, including middle initial—spelling counts. For an entity debtor it must have the full precise corporate/LLC name, including any punctuation. Make certain you confirm the exact name with the Nevada Secretary of State. Include in the judgment any also-known-as, name variations, and all persons and entities as much as your pleadings will allow.
If there are multiple creditors that are due different amounts, or if multiple debtors owe different amounts, make sure this is clearly spelled out. If the judgment is joint and several, it should so state.
The judgment should conclude with a single, itemized figure including all pre-judgment principle, interest, and attorney fees and a statement of all items that may be added post judgment.
2. Post-judgment additions
Where an interest rate is not stated, the judgment accrues interest at the legal rate. If there is an underlying contract with a higher interest rate, the higher interest rate should be stated as the post-judgment interest rate.
Where attorney fees are recoverable, by law or contract, the judgment should include language such as “plus attorney fees of collection.”
3. Make the judgment short
While all critical portions of the judgment must be present, a short clear judgment is most effective. It is better for recording and easier for clerks.
Make the findings of fact and conclusions of law a separate document.
4. Notice of entry judgment, recording, and calendaring renewal
The time period in which a judgment can be overturned for mistake, inadvertence, surprise, or excusable neglect expires six months after entry of judgment. Serve and file the Notice of Entry right away.
A judgment expires if not renewed within six years of its entry. Immediately calendar renewal, advise the client of the need for and timing of the renewal, and clarify with the client who has responsibility for collection and renewal of the judgment.
5. Have all critical information at the end of judgment.
When reviewing judgments, clerks, enforcing attorneys, and others go to the end of the judgment. Make sure this section is concise and includes the critical points.
Conclusion
Nevada is different from some other states (for example, California) in that we do not have mandatory forms for judgments. This is both useful in that it allows us to draft judgments for maximum ease of enforceability, but also makes it easier to make judgments more difficult to enforce and to forget critical items.
By carefully drafting the judgment with collectability in mind, and including these five points, you will help ensure a judgment that lends itself to enforceability.
About the author
Joel G. Selik practices Judgment Collection & Legal Malpractice in California and Nevada. He is a Certified Specialist in Legal Malpractice, and Chair of SCEPR (State Bar of Nevada Standing Committee on Ethics & Professional Responsibility). Learn more about Joel from https://www.canvlaw.com/.
About the article
This article was originally published in the Communiqué (Jan. 2026), the official publication of the Clark County Bar Association. The printed magazine was mailed out to CCBA members 12/30/2025.
The Communiqué (Jan. 2026) focuses on “Five Things” with short articles on interesting topics written by bar members for bar members. Authors were instructed to choose only five things to highlight, to be quick to the point, and to keep the length of their piece to less than 500 words. Also featured is a variety of content from the printed publication’s recurring columns and highlights on bar activities. Select content is available to read online now. See https://clarkcountybar.org/about/member-benefits/communique-2026/communique-jan-2026/.
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