In my last post, I dissected the form Judgment for Actions to Recover Money or Personal Property, AOC-CVM-400. This post will focus on AOC-CVM-401, Judgment in Action for Summary Ejectment, the form used in evictions. During a recent session at the Fall Magistrates’ Conference, there were some lively exchanges about the practicalities around rendering judgments when the magistrate has a courtroom full of people waiting to be heard and a stack of judgments to enter electronically. The discussion centered on amendments to G.S. 7A-224 and G.S. 7A-228, which became effective October 1, 2025, affecting the rendition and entry of judgments in small claims. In light of the changes to the law, now seems like a good time to talk about the rendition, entry, and service of magistrates’ judgments. So, make sure you have AOC-CVM-401 handy, and let’s explore the contents of the form and the importance of rendering and entering judgments at the end of the hearing.
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Tag: entry of judgments
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Anatomy of a Judgment Form: Recovery of Money or Personal Property
Over the years that I presided in small claims court, I entered hundreds, if not thousands, of form judgments without ever really pausing to examine the form. Recently, I taught a new course for magistrates on conducting hearings and entering judgments. As part of that course, I spent a couple of sessions analyzing two judgment forms frequently used by magistrates in small claims: AOC-CVM-400, Judgment in Action to Recover Money or Personal Property; AOC-CVM-401, Judgment in Action for Summary Ejectment. This post will explore the various parts of the form judgment for the recovery of money or personal property and the legal significance of the form’s contents.
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