{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/judgment","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/judgment","data_freshness":{"sba_records_through":"2026-05-31","fdic_records_through":"2026-03-31","dealroom_last_updated":"2026-06-15","timezone":"America/Chicago"},"source_summary":["Public SBA 7(a) loan records","FDIC institution data","DealRoom lender and franchise enrichment"],"term":{"slug":"judgment","term":"Judgment","group":"People and paperwork","definition":"A formal court decision stating one party owes another money or has violated a contract. For a buyer, this is a red flag on a seller's credit or the business's past legal issues.","what_it_means":"Lenders check for judgments against the seller and the business, as these indicate financial instability or unresolved legal problems. You should find out if any judgments exist during due diligence and understand their cause and resolution to assess risk.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/judgment","official_sources":[{"slug":"sop-50-10","title":"SOP 50 10 — Lender and Development Company Loan Programs","official_url":"https://www.sba.gov/document/sop-50-10-lender-development-company-loan-programs","official_label":"View on SBA.gov","authority_tier":2,"publisher":"U.S. Small Business Administration","source_guide_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/sources/sop-50-10"}],"related":[{"slug":"litigation","term":"Litigation","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/litigation"},{"slug":"credit-report","term":"Credit report","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/credit-report"},{"slug":"derogatory-mark","term":"Derogatory mark","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/derogatory-mark"},{"slug":"personal-judgment","term":"Personal judgment","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/personal-judgment"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"Does having a recent civil judgment against me affect my SBA 7(a) loan eligibility?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/does-having-a-recent-civil-judgment-against-me-affect-my-sba-7-a-loan-eligibility"},{"question":"What if my personal credit report shows a judgment that has been satisfied or paid off?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/what-if-my-personal-credit-report-shows-a-judgment-that-has-been-satisfied-or-paid-off"},{"question":"Will a past tax lien or judgment on my credit report prevent SBA 7(a) loan approval?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/will-a-past-tax-lien-or-judgment-on-my-credit-report-prevent-sba-7-a-loan-approval"},{"question":"Does a past civil lawsuit or judgment, not criminal, affect my eligibility for an SBA 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/does-a-past-civil-lawsuit-or-judgment-not-criminal-affect-my-eligibility-for-an-sba-7-a-lo"},{"question":"Will an outstanding personal judgment (e.g., from a civil lawsuit) prevent me from getting an SBA 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/will-an-outstanding-personal-judgment-e-g-from-a-civil-lawsuit-prevent-me-from-getting-an-"},{"question":"Will a satisfied judgment on my personal credit report, even if paid, negatively impact my SBA 7(a) loan approval?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/will-a-satisfied-judgment-on-my-personal-credit-report-even-if-paid-negatively-impact-my-s"}]},"caveats":["Definitions represent DealRoom's plain-English interpretation for buyers; verify regulatory terms against the official SBA and eCFR sources listed.","Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not an SBA eligibility determination."],"citation":{"label":"DealRoom.so Glossary — Judgment","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/judgment","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}