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Foreign Judgments

Instructions for Registering a Judgment from Another District Under 28 U.S.C. § 1963

Follow the procedures outlined below to (1) register an out-of-district judgment in the Middle District of Florida or (2) register a Middle District of Florida judgment in another district.

Register an Out of District Judgment in the Middle District of Florida

  1. Obtain a completed Clerk’s Certification of a Judgment To Be Registered in Another District Form (Form AO-451). The Administrative Office (AO) of the U.S. Courts has promulgated Form -451 for use in registering district court judgments. The form must be completed by the Clerk’s Office in the district where the judgment was entered.
     
  2. Obtain a certified copy of the judgment from the originating district court. Contact the district court where the judgment was entered or visit their website for information on current fees, obtaining the completed AO-451 form, and a certified copy of the judgment to be registered in the Middle District.
     
  3. Submit the required documents (listed below) and filing fee in person or by mail to the Intake Department of the appropriate divisional office of the Clerk of Court. This step cannot be completed electronically, even by a lawyer with electronic filing access.  Required Documents:
  • A signed AO-451 form and the certified copy of the judgment to be registered.
     
  • A completed Civil Cover Sheet (Form JS44).
     
  • The filing fee for registering a judgment from another district. See Fee Schedule.

Register a Middle District of Florida Judgment in Another District

  1. Obtain a completed Clerk’s Certification of a Judgment To Be Registered in Another District Form (Form AO-451). Please note that the filer is responsible for completing the top section of the AO 451 form (i.e., Caption, Party Names, and Case Number).

  2. Submit the AO-451 form to the Middle District of Florida Clerk’s Office.  You can deliver the form in person to any court location listed on the website www.flmd.uscourts.gov/locations. You may also mail it with a self-addressed, stamped return envelope and the required payment to obtain a copy of the judgment in addition to the cost to certify the document. See Fee Schedule.
     
  3. The AO-451 form will be returned to you with a certified copy of the judgment. Submit these documents to the district where you seek to have the judgment registered. Contact that district for their applicable filing procedures.