{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/outstanding-personal-judgment","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/outstanding-personal-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":"outstanding-personal-judgment","term":"Outstanding personal judgment","aka":"Unpaid judgment","group":"People and paperwork","definition":"A court order stating you owe money to a creditor, which you haven't yet paid. An SBA lender will flag this as a significant character concern.","what_it_means":"Any key principal with an outstanding personal judgment will face major hurdles for SBA loan approval. This indicates a history of failing to meet financial obligations. You must resolve these judgments, often by paying them in full, before an SBA loan can be approved.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/outstanding-personal-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":"personal-judgment","term":"Personal judgment","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/personal-judgment"},{"slug":"derogatory-mark","term":"Derogatory mark","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/derogatory-mark"},{"slug":"credit-report","term":"Credit report","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/credit-report"},{"slug":"good-character","term":"Good character","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/good-character"}],"related_questions":[{"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":"What if a borrower has outstanding judgments or liens from non-federal entities?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/what-if-a-borrower-has-outstanding-judgments-or-liens-from-non-federal-entities"},{"question":"What happens if a borrower has outstanding judgments or liens from non-federal entities?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/what-happens-if-a-borrower-has-outstanding-judgments-or-liens-from-non-federal-entities"},{"question":"What if the business I am acquiring has significant outstanding tax liens or judgments?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/what-if-the-business-i-am-acquiring-has-significant-outstanding-tax-liens-or-judgments"},{"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 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 — Outstanding personal judgment","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/outstanding-personal-judgment","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}