§ 1-239.  Paid to clerk; docket credited; transcript to other counties; notice to attorney for judgment creditor; judgment creditor to give notice of payment; entry of payment on docket; penalty for failure to give notice of payment.

(a) Payment of money judgment to clerk's office.

(1) The party against whom a judgment for the payment of money is rendered by any court of record may pay the whole, or any part thereof, in cash or by check, to the clerk of the court in which the same was rendered, although no execution has issued on the judgment. With the approval of, and pursuant to procedures approved by, the Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, the party against whom a judgment for payment of money is rendered may also pay the whole, or any part thereof, by credit card, debit card, or other electronic payment method to the clerk of the court in which the same was rendered, although no execution has issued on the judgment.

(2) The clerk shall give the party a receipt showing the date and amount of the payment and identifying the judgment, and shall note receipt of the payment on the judgment docket of the court. If the payment is made by check and the check is not finally paid by the drawee bank, the clerk shall cancel the notation of receipt and return the check to the party who tendered it.

(3) When a payment to the clerk is made in cash, by credit or debit card or other electronic payment method, or when a check is finally paid by the drawee bank, the clerk shall give the notice provided for in subsection (b). When the full amount of a judgment has been so paid, the clerk shall include the words "JUDGMENT PAID IN FULL" in the notice.

(4) When a judgment has been paid in part, but not in full, the clerk shall furnish a certificate of partial payment to the clerk of superior court of any county to which a transcript of a judgment has been sent, but only upon the request of that clerk or of the party who made the partial payment.

(5) When a judgment has been paid in full, and the party in whose favor the judgment was rendered has collected all payments made to the clerk, or when ten days have passed since notice of payment in full was sent pursuant to subsection (b) and the party has neither collected all payments made to the clerk nor notified the clerk that the party disputes payment of the full amount of the judgment, then the clerk shall immediately:

a. Mark "PAID AND SATISFIED IN FULL" on the judgment docket, and

b. Forward a certificate of payment in full to the clerk of superior court in each county to which a transcript of the judgment has been sent.

(6) If the party in whose favor a judgment has been rendered notifies the clerk that the party disputes payment in full of the judgment, the clerk shall proceed as provided in G.S. 1-242.

(7) Entries of payment or satisfaction on the judgment dockets in the office of the clerk of the superior court by any person other than the clerk shall be made in the presence of the clerk or his deputy, who shall witness the same.

(b) Upon receipt of any payment of money upon a judgment, the clerk of superior court shall within seven days after the receipt of such payment give notice thereof to the attorney of record for the party in whose favor the judgment was rendered, or if there is no attorney of record to the party. Any other official of any court who receives payment of money upon a judgment shall give notice in the same manner; provided, further, that no such moneys shall be paid by the clerk of the superior court until at least seven days after written notice by mail or in person has been given to the attorney of record in whose favor the judgment was rendered; provided further, that the attorney of record may waive said notice, and said moneys shall be paid by the clerk of superior court, by signing the judgment docket.

(c) Upon receipt by the judgment creditor of any payment of money upon a judgment, the judgment creditor shall within 60 days after receipt of the payment give satisfactory notice thereof to the clerk of the superior court in which the judgment was rendered, which notice shall specify the date and amount of the payment received. If the creditor provides to the clerk a single notice of multiple payments from the debtor, the notice shall specify the date of each individual payment and the amount received on each date. The clerk shall thereafter promptly enter any such payment on the judgment docket of the court, crediting each payment against the judgment as of the date received by the creditor. The clerk shall immediately forward a certificate thereof to the clerk of the superior court of each county to whom a transcript of the judgment has been sent, and the clerk of each superior court shall thereafter promptly enter the same on the judgment docket of the court and file the original with the judgment roll in the action. If the judgment creditor fails to file the notice required by this subsection within 30 days following written demand by the debtor, he may be required to pay a civil penalty of one hundred dollars ($100.00) in addition to attorneys' fees and any loss caused to the debtor by such failure. The clear proceeds of civil penalties provided for in this section shall be remitted to the Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund in accordance with G.S. 115C-457.2.

(d) Payment of money judgment to clerk's office under execution.

(1) When proceeds are paid to the clerk as a result of levy and an execution sale pursuant to Article 29B of this Chapter, the proceeds shall be credited and applied to the judgment as of the date the proceeds are received by the clerk.

(2) When funds are paid to the clerk pursuant to the levy under execution without an execution sale, the funds shall be credited and applied to the judgment as of the date the funds are collected. (1823, c. 1212, P.R; R.C., c. 31, s. 127; Code, s. 438; Rev., s. 577; 1911, c. 76; C.S., s. 617; 1967, c. 1067; 1969, c. 18; 1981, c. 745, s. 2; 1987, c. 497; 1997-456, s.27; 1998-215, s. 94; 2021-47, s. 14(a); 2023-103, s. 1(a).)