Calculating the Amount Recoverable Under a Judgment in California

The amount required to satisfy a money judgment in California is the total amount of the judgment as entered or renewed, plus costs added after judgment, plus accrued interest on the judgment, minus any payments or partial satisfactions or amounts no longer enforceable.  See Code of Civil Procedure § 695.210.

Calculating Principal

The principal amount of the California judgment is the amount of the judgment as entered or as last renewed, together with any costs added to the judgment, reduced by any payments or partial satisfactions or amount no longer enforceable.  See Code of Civil Procedure § 680.300.

Calculating Interest

In California, the judgment creditor is entitled to recover interest on the principal amount of the judgment that remains unsatisfied.  See Code of Civil Procedure § 685.010(a).  The rate of interest on a money judgment is 10% per year.  See Code of Civil Procedure § 685.010(a).  The 10% limit applies to stipulated judgments as well as to judgments rendered by a court.  See John Siebel Assocs. v. Keele, 188 Cal.App.3d 560, 565 (1986).  This means that a stipulated judgment cannot provide for a post-judgment interest rate greater than 10%.  Ten percent is the maximum interest rate allowed by the State Constitution.  See Ca Const. Art. XV, § 1.

Interest accrues from the day the judgment is entered.  See Code of Civil Procedure § 685.020(a).