I have a MacBook Pro, 2.33 GHz Cure 2 Duo, running OS 10.6.2. I have in my hands a factory-sealed copy of the Mac version of Fallout 2. I'd like to play it.
A judgment creditor has options for collecting the debt that other creditors don't have. These include wage garnishment orders and even seizing your property. However, once you file for either Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy, creditors named in the petition must stop all collection efforts. Once a judge signs the discharge order, the process is complete and you no longer have any legal responsibility to any discharged debt, including a covered civil judgment.
The court judgment will appear as a public record in your credit report and will remain for seven years from the filing date. Any public record item in a credit report would likely be considered very negative and could affect your ability to qualify for a new rental agreement. If included in bankruptcy, the judgment will be removed when the bankruptcy is discharged. You may want to submit documentation of the bankruptcy filing, discharge, and schedule of debts showing the judgment was included. A Chapter 7 bankruptcy will continue to be reported for 10 years from the filing date, regardless of the discharge date.