Foreign Country Money Judgments

In Virginia, a "foreign country money judgment" means any judgment of a foreign country granting or denying recovery of a sum of money, other than a judgment for taxes, a fine or other penalty, or a judgment for support in matrimonial or family matter. VA Code §8.01-465.7.

Our law firm’s partner, F. Paul Maloof, concentrates a substantial part of his practice in the area of foreign country money judgment enforcement. He actively provides advice and counsel with respect to foreign country money judgment domestication and enforcement cases in Northern Virginia, the state of Maryland and Washington, DC. He holds a license in all three jurisdictions. He has worked on cases in several different industries, such as for an energy and coal company located in Italy, a travel services company located in Boston, MA, a sub-prime auto financing corporation located in Southfield, MI, a high-end auto lender located in Texas, a several local car dealership located in Woodbridge, VA and in Falls Church, VA.

Furthermore, a certified copy of any foreign country money judgment must be properly authenticated in accordance with the act of Congress or the statutes of the Commonwealth of Virginia, translated into English by a bona fide translator, certified by the Consul at the American Embassy of the foreign country, so that it will be acceptable by the office of the clerk of any circuit court of any city or county of the Commonwealth of Virginia upon payment of the fee prescribed. The clerk is required to treat the foreign country money judgment in the same manner as a judgment of the circuit court of any city or county of the Commonwealth of Virginia. A judgment so filed has the same effect and is subject to the same procedures, defenses and proceedings for reopening, vacating, or staying as a judgment of a circuit court of any city or county of the Commonwealth of Virginia and may be enforced or satisfied in like manner. VA Code §8.01-465.2.

In addition, at the time of the filing of the foreign country money judgment, the judgment creditor or his lawyer is required to make and file with the clerk of court an affidavit setting forth the name and last known post office address of the judgment debtor and the judgment creditor. Attorney Maloof has prepared this affidavit on numerous occasions.

Moreover, it is required that promptly upon the filing of the foreign country money judgment and the affidavit, the clerk is required to mail notice of the filing of the foreign country money judgment to the judgment debtor at the address given and shall make a note of the mailing in the court’s docket. The notice is required to include the name and post office address of the judgment creditor and the judgment creditor's lawyer, if any, in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In addition, the judgment creditor may mail a notice of the filing of the judgment to the judgment debtor and may file proof of mailing with the clerk. Lack of mailing notice of filing by the clerk will not affect the enforcement proceedings if proof of mailing by the judgment creditor has been filed. VA Code §8.01-465.3.

If you are a lawyer, in-house counsel, paralegal or an individual who has a judgment in a foreign country jurisdiction other than Virginia, Maryland or Washington, DC and have definitive knowledge that the judgment debtor owns property, is a resident of or is employed in one of these U.S. jurisdictions and also has questions about a matter that is related to foreign country money judgments and need representation, please call F. Paul Maloof at 703-684-2000 at Redmon, Peyton & Braswell, LLP, 510 King Street, Suite 301, Alexandria, VA 22314.