The procedural device known as a "confession of judgment" has long been a valuable tool to quickly and efficiently obtain a judgment for a sum certain against another party. As a result, confessions of judgment are often used in settlement agreements and other transactional documents in New York whereby a confession of judgment is held in escrow to be filed if a party fails to fulfill their obligations to pay a sum certain.

However, effective as of Aug. 30, 2019, confessions of judgment executed after that date by parties that reside outside of New York are no longer enforceable. Nonetheless, and despite that over four years have passed since this significant amendment, many New York attorneys and litigants continue to insist upon confessions of judgments in settlement agreements, not realizing that they are unenforceable against non-residents.