Who can make a decision about how a defendant satisfies a judgment?

• A. Only the judge
• B. The court clerk
• C. The plaintiff
• D. The jury

Answer: (A)

When a judgment is entered, deciding how the defendant will satisfy that judgment is an enforcement decision made by the court. The judge weighs the terms of payment, any allowed remedies, and the defendant’s finances to issue an order that governs how the judgment is satisfied. The court’s role is to ensure the order is fair, enforceable, and compliant with the law, rather than leaving enforcement to a party or an administrative clerk. The court clerk handles paperwork and records, not the substantive terms of how the judgment is paid. The plaintiff can request enforcement, but the judge must determine the method. The jury’s work ends with the verdict on liability and damages; they don’t decide how the judgment is satisfied.