Registered Judgments top €1billion in 2012

With a month to go in the calendar year the total value of Registered Judgments rocketed in the first 11 months of 2012, increasing by 62 per cent to top the one billion euro mark, according to the latest figures by StubbsGazette.

In the 11 months to the end November 2012, the number of Consumer Registered Judgments fell slightly in volume by 10.3 per cent but the value of those judgments has increased by 11.4 per cent to almost €644 million, meaning fewer consumers are defaulting but those who are defaulting are more deeply indebted. The average Consumer Registered judgment over the period was just over €167,000.

Over the same period Commercial Registered Judgments fell significantly in volume by 32.6 per cent but the value of those judgments has increased by a staggering 554 per cent to almost €293 million, meaning fewer companies are defaulting but those that are defaulting have average debts of over €188,000. 

For the 11 months to November 2012, the number of Joint Registered Judgments, which tend to be where directors are join and severally liable for business debt, have fallen slightly in volume by 6 per cent but the value of those judgments has increased by exponentially by 1,915 per cent to almost €78 million. This makes for an average debt of nearly €1.7 million.

There were 26 unregistered High Court judgments over the 11-month period, down from 29 in the same period 2011. Twenty-one of these cases were categorised as “Consumer” but in reality the vast majority of these related to personal guarantees on foot of business enterprises.

In terms of value, Consumer unregistered High Court Judgments saw an 86 per cent drop over the period. Commercial High Court Judgments meanwhile rose dramatically.

While NAMA had the least number of Judgments amongst the top plaintiffs, the agency had the highest Registered Judgment value, moving from zero in 2011 to €569.4 million by November 2012. All of the other major plaintiffs, including the Banks and the Revenue are all down in volume and value, except for the Credit Unions, with a 5 per cent increase in both value and volume.