How to register a judgment
- Get a certified copy of the money order (judgment) from the court that issued it.
- Send the certified copy to the court in the judicial district the debtor now lives with the appropriate filing fee (in some cases this may be done electronically using the QCase portal).
You may need to contact the relevant court registry for details.
Which court will hear your matter
| Amount | Court |
|---|
| Up to $150,000 | Magistrates Court |
| Between $150,001 and $750,000 | District Court |
| Over $750,000 or complex cases | Supreme Court |
When to apply
The filing fee can be paid by cheque or by completing the credit card details form.
If you want to enforce the order immediately, include:
- an application for an enforcement hearing (which will not be considered by the court until after the judgment is registered and the debtor has failed to complete a statement of financial position)
- an enforcement warrant
- a supporting affidavit confirming:
- the debtor hasn’t paid
- the order is still enforceable in the original state or territory.
Claiming additional costs
You can recover:
- the cost of obtaining the certified copy of the money order
- filing fee for registering the order in Queensland.
Claiming interest
If the original court allows interest after judgment, you can continue claiming it in Queensland.
Include interest details in your affidavit, ensuring compliance with the original state or territory’s laws.
If the debtor moves
If you have registered your judgment/order in the relevant court and the debtor then moves to another location in Queensland, you may:
- Option 1 – Apply for an enforcement hearing at the court where you registered the judgment/order.
You will need to pay ‘conduct money’ for the debtor to attend the hearing, which you can’t claim.
- Option 2 – Send your enforcement hearing documents to the court closest to where the debtor’s new location is.
No additional registration fee is required.
