A personal money judgment is best described as which of the following?

• A. A property tax assessment
• B. A court order to arrest a person
• C. A judgment for defamation
• D. A decision by a judge to allow the community association to claim the owner's personal property to settle a delinquent account

Answer: (D)

A personal money judgment means the court recognizes the owner as personally liable to pay a specific amount to the association, creating a debt owed by the individual rather than a claim tied only to the property. In the HOA context, once such a judgment is obtained, the association can pursue the owner’s personal assets to satisfy the delinquent account, not just the property itself. This makes the owner personally responsible for the debt, which is the essence of a personal money judgment.

The option described fits best because it directly reflects that personal liability and the ability to claim the owner’s personal property to settle the debt. The other choices describe different legal tools or scenarios: a property tax assessment is a lien on real estate, not a personal liability; a court order to arrest is a criminal remedy unrelated to civil HOA delinquencies; a defamation judgment awards damages in a different context and isn’t about collecting HOA dues.