A judgment lien is cleared from the record when:

• A. Automatically upon payment
• B. A release of judgment is filed with the court
• C. The record is updated upon payment
• D. When paid off, requires a satisfaction of judgment to be recorded to clear the record

Answer: (D)

When a judgment lien is paid, the lien doesn’t automatically disappear from the title. The key step is obtaining a satisfaction of judgment and having it recorded with the court or county recorder. This recorded document officially releases the lien from the property records. Until that satisfaction is filed, the lien remains visible on title and can affect conveyancing.

That’s why the correct mechanism is that, after payment, a satisfaction of judgment must be recorded to clear the record. Simply paying the judgment or filing a release without recording the satisfaction doesn’t promptly remove the lien from the title.