How long is a judgement good for? judgement was filled back in 2002

The Utah statute of limitations for enforcing a judgment is 8 years. Their ability to collect the judgment expired in March 2010. Check the court files to make sure judgment was not renewed. If no renewal, you can tell collection agency judgment is barred by statute and any attempts to collect will violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. As you recognize, the civil demand letter is scary. However, it is all bark and no bite. There are no repercussions to ignoring a civil demand letter, or two or three. They will get tired of sending them and move on to more gullible people. There is no public record created by this letter. Nothing will appear on your credit file about this "shoplifting" incident. It will cost them more to sue than they can recover. That is why you can ignore the letters without fear of anything more. The response given is not intended to create, nor does it create an ongoing duty to respond to questions. The response does not form an attorney-client relationship, nor is it intended to be anything other than the educated opinion of the author. It should not be relied upon as legal advice. The response given is based upon the limited facts provided by the person asking the question. To the extent additional or different facts exist, the response might possibly change. Attorney is licensed to practice law only in the State of California. Responses are based solely on California law unless stated otherwise.

A judgment entered in the court of the State of Utah generally is enforceable for a period of eight (8) years. (Utah Code 78-12-22.) A judgment entered in the District Court becomes a lien upon the real property of the judgment debtor, not exempt from execution, owned or acquired during the existence of the judgment, located in the county in which the judgment is entered. A small claims judgment, however, may qualify as a lien upon real property only if an abstract of judgment is issued by the District Court and recorded in the same manner as a District Court judgment. (Utah Code 78-22-1.) Do not contact the people asking you to cvall them if the judgment is not enforceable.