Let's start with the legal stuff first -- the judgment liens. Make sure you have an actual copy of the judgment. You can get that from the county clerk.
Make sure that a "release of judgment lien" was filed in the court for each judgment. If it was, make sure you get a certified copy from the county clerk. That may cost you $20. If a release of judgment lien has not been filed (and it probably hasn't because it's the debtor's responsibility to get this document filed in the county court), then you need to get a release to the judgment creditor and ask the judgment creditor to sign it. (Sometimes the judgment creditor will provide the document.)
Then you need to make several copies of the signed and notarized release and then take the original and all your copies to the county clerk. The county clerk will file-stamp the original and all of your copies, retain the original and one copy for further processing, and return the file-stamped copies to you right then and there. Do not lose these copies because they are proof that you filed the release with the court.
After the clerk removes the judgment lien from your record (or, more accurately, reflects that it was paid and a release issued), then the clerk will send the original or a copy back to you (sometimes the courts keep the original). That could take as long as a month. You will need to pay a small fee to the county clerk for this service (no more than $20). In the meantime, you can use your conformed copies the same as an original for purposes of getting the judgment lien updated as paid on your credit reports.
Note that this procedure is time consuming. I would personally advise you to take the release personally to the judgment creditor (if that is an option) and wait for the signature, and then I would definitely take the signed & notarized release to the county clerk myself. If you have to mail off these documents, then use an overnight delivery service and not the U.S. Postal Service.
This is the only way to legally prove that you have paid the judgment. This is one of those things that if you don't take care of now, you will be taking care of it in 5-10 years. (Or, in your case, when you're sitting down for closing and this judgment lien shows up and the closing is delayed until you get it taken care of.) This is one reason why you should never let a debt go to court. And if your debt does go to court, don't ignore the summons -- show up at the hearing and explain your situation to the judge. You might get a reprieve -- i.e., in rare cases, the judge can demand that the creditor work with you on the debt rather than just granting a judgment. If you don't show up, the judge will grant a default judgment.
Here's a sample of a release of judgment lien:
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RELEASE OF JUDGMENT LIEN
THE STATE OF ____________)
) KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:
COUNTY OF ____________ )
On ________________ [date of judgment], _________________ [name of judgment creditor], Plaintiff, obtained a Judgment against _________________ [your name or name on judgment], Defendant, in the Justice of the Peace Court [or District Court, or whatever the name of the court was] of ______ County, ____ [state], in Cause No. ____ [court file number on the judgment]. Said judgment was for $__________, plus the sum of $______ as reasonable attorney's fees, together with all costs of court and interest at the highest lawful rate per annum from ____ [date of judgment]. [Makae sure this language tracks the judgment.]
An abstract of said judgment was filed and appears in the Judgment Records of _____ County, [state], in Volume ____, Page _____ [you need to get a copy of the judgment to know this information], which record is made a part hereof and reference is here by made to same for a better description of judgment; and whereas such judgment has been paid and at the time of its payment the undersigned was the legal owner and holder of such judgment, and entitled to receive payment thereof:
NOW, THEREFORE, __________________ [name of judgment creditor], in consideration of the premises, does hereby acknowledge payment of such judgment, and does hereby release unto the said ___________ [your name or name on judgment], and does hereby release unto the said ____________ [your name or name on judgment], his/her heirs and assigns, any and all liens heretofore existing by reason of such judgment.
Executed this ______ day of _____________, 200___.
__________________________________
Name: ____________________________
Title: ______________________________
STATE OF _________ )
)
COUNTY OF _______ )
This instrument was acknowledged before me on the _____ day of _________, 200__, by _______ _____________________________ of _____________ [name of judgment creditor], a ________ [state] corporation [or other entity], on behalf of said corporation.
__________________________________
Notary Public in and for the State of _____
Notary Seal:
