Flat-Fee Offer for Out-of-State Attorneys
Flat-Fee New York Judgment Domestication: $1,000
For non-default U.S. judgments only. Filing fees included. No hidden costs.
If you are holding a non-default judgment from a United States court, state or federal, and the debtor has assets, income, or business activity in New York, I will domesticate that judgment in New York under CPLR Article 54 for a flat fee of $1,000, filing fees included. The fee covers the domestication filing itself: confirming eligibility, preparing the CPLR § 5402(a) affidavit, filing the authenticated judgment with the appropriate New York county clerk, and arranging the required notice to the debtor. The offer applies only to non-default, non-confession judgments, since a default judgment cannot use Article 54's streamlined procedure and instead requires a CPLR § 3213 motion or plenary action, which falls outside this flat fee.
Once the judgment is domesticated, it has the same effect as a judgment entered in New York, and the state's full range of collection tools becomes available. If you want my office to handle that next stage, restraining notices, subpoenas, turnover proceedings, and so on, that work is quoted and billed separately, typically structured with referring counsel under New York Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5(g). But the $1,000 flat fee itself covers the domestication filing, start to finish, nothing more and nothing less.
Who Qualifies for the Flat Fee
- A United States judgment, not a foreign judgment. The judgment must come from a state court or a United States district court. Judgments from courts outside the United States are recognized under a different procedure, CPLR Article 53, and are not covered by this offer.
- Not entered by default or by confession. The judgment debtor must have appeared and the matter must have been contested, at least to the point of a non-default judgment, or the judgment must not otherwise qualify as a confession of judgment.
- Unsatisfied and not stayed. The judgment must be unpaid in whole or in part, and enforcement of it must not currently be stayed.
- A reason to believe New York is the right venue. The debtor should live, do business, bank, or own property in New York. Domestication only matters once there is a reason to think New York assets or income are reachable.
There is no dollar cap on the judgment amount and no restriction on whether the debtor is an individual or a business. A quick eligibility review confirms the flat fee applies before anything is billed.
What's Included in the $1,000
- Review of the judgment and the underlying case file to confirm eligibility for CPLR Article 54's streamlined procedure.
- Preparation of the CPLR § 5402(a) affidavit required to file the judgment.
- Filing the authenticated judgment and affidavit with the appropriate New York county clerk, filing fee included.
- Arranging the CPLR § 5403 notice of filing required to be mailed to the debtor.
- Confirmation of filing and a copy of the docketed New York judgment for your file.
What's Not Included
Being clear about scope up front avoids surprises later. The flat fee does not include:
- Obtaining the authenticated copy of the judgment. That comes from the court that entered the judgment. I can advise on what to request if you are not sure what your court calls it or how to ask.
- Enforcement after domestication. Restraining notices, information subpoenas, turnover proceedings under CPLR §§ 5225 and 5227, income executions, and similar steps are a separate engagement, quoted once the domesticated judgment is in hand and the debtor's assets are known.
- Default and confession judgments. These require a CPLR § 3213 motion or a plenary action rather than Article 54's summary procedure, and are quoted separately based on the work involved.
- Foreign country judgments. These are recognized under CPLR Article 53, a different process not covered by this offer. See the foreign judgment recognition page for how that works.
What I Need From You to Get Started
- A certified transcript of judgment, exemplified copy, or similar authenticated record from the court that entered the judgment. If you are not sure whether what you have meets New York's certification requirements, send it anyway and I will tell you if anything further is needed.
- The case caption, docket or index number, court name, and date of entry.
- The current unpaid amount, including any credits or partial payments.
- Confirmation that the judgment was not entered by default or by confession.
- The debtor's last known name and address, and any known New York connections, real property, a bank, an employer, or a business address.
Email Your Judgment for Review
Attach what you have and send it. I review submissions and respond within 24 hours, excluding weekends and holidays, to confirm eligibility and the next step.
Why This Works as a Flat Fee
Domestication under CPLR Article 54 is a defined, bounded task when the judgment is not a default: confirm eligibility, prepare the affidavit, file with the county clerk, and arrange notice. Enforcement afterward varies enormously depending on what the debtor has and where it is, which is why that work is quoted case by case rather than flat-rated. The domestication filing itself does not have that variability, which is what makes a flat fee possible in the first place.
If Your Client's Judgment Was Entered by Default
This flat fee does not apply, but that does not mean the judgment is unenforceable in New York. Default and confession judgments can still be enforced through a plenary action or a CPLR § 3213 motion for summary judgment in lieu of complaint, which requires personal service on the debtor and moves on ordinary litigation timelines rather than a summary filing. Reach out and describe the situation. I can quote that work separately, and the domestication overview page explains the process in more detail.
Frequently Asked Questions About Flat-Fee Judgment Domestication
What judgments qualify for the $1,000 flat fee?
Any non-default, non-confession money judgment from a United States state or federal court, for any amount, involving an individual or business debtor. The judgment must not be a foreign country judgment, must be unsatisfied in whole or in part, and enforcement must not currently be stayed.
Does the $1,000 include the New York filing fee?
Yes. The flat fee is all-in: my professional fee and the county clerk's filing fee are both included. There are no separate costs added after the fact for the domestication filing itself.
What if the judgment was entered by default?
Default and confession judgments cannot use the streamlined Article 54 procedure and fall outside this flat fee. They can still be enforced in New York through a plenary action or a CPLR 3213 motion, which I quote separately based on the work involved.
What do I need to send to get started?
A certified transcript, exemplified copy, or similar authenticated record of the judgment, the case caption and docket number, the amount owed, and confirmation the judgment was not entered by default. Send what you have and I will tell you if anything further is needed.
Does the flat fee cover collecting the money, or just the domestication filing?
Just the domestication filing. Once the judgment is recognized in New York, enforcement steps such as restraining notices, subpoenas, and turnover proceedings are a separate engagement, quoted based on the debtor's assets and what is involved.
How quickly will I hear back after I send the judgment?
I review submissions and respond within 24 hours, excluding weekends and holidays, to confirm eligibility and next steps.
Do I need to be a New York attorney to use this offer?
No. This offer is designed for attorneys licensed outside New York whose client holds a qualifying judgment. Fee arrangements for any follow-on work can be structured with referring counsel under New York Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5(g).
Can I use this offer for a federal court judgment?
Yes. Judgments from United States district courts qualify under CPLR Article 54 in the same way as state court judgments, provided the judgment was not entered by default and remains valid and enforceable.