Except as provided in subdivision 2, upon the satisfaction of a judgment, whether wholly or in part, or as to all or any of several defendants, the court administrator shall enter the satisfaction in the judgment roll, and note it, with its date, on the docket. If the docketing is upon a transcript from another county, the entry on the docket is sufficient. A judgment is satisfied when there is filed with the court administrator:
(1) an execution satisfied, to the extent stated in the sheriff's return on it;
(2) a certificate of satisfaction signed and acknowledged by the judgment creditor;
(3) a like certificate signed and acknowledged by the attorney of the creditor, unless that attorney's authority as attorney has previously been revoked and an entry of the revocation made upon the register; the authority of an attorney to satisfy a judgment ceases at the end of six years from its entry;
(4) an order of the court, made on motion, requiring the execution of a certificate of satisfaction, or directing satisfaction to be entered without it;
(5) where a judgment is docketed on transcript, a copy of either of the foregoing documents, certified by the court administrator in which the judgment was originally entered and in which the originals were filed.
A satisfaction made in the name of a partnership is valid if executed by a member of it while the partnership continues. The judgment creditor, or the creditor's attorney while the attorney's authority continues, may also satisfy a judgment of record by a brief entry on the register, signed by the creditor or the creditor's attorney, and dated and witnessed by the court administrator, who shall note the satisfaction on the margin of the docket. Except as provided in subdivision 2, when a judgment is satisfied otherwise than by return of execution, the judgment creditor or the creditor's attorney shall file a certificate of it with the court administrator within ten days after the satisfaction or within 30 days of payment by check or other noncertified funds.
In the case of a judgment for child support or spousal maintenance, an execution or certificate of satisfaction need not be filed with the court until the judgment is satisfied in full.