I found a judgment on my credit report and investigated. Upon investigating I found it was from an old medical bill and I called the law office that represented the hospital and paid the judgment. I then was called by a credit collection agency that said they owned those accounts and they wouldn't be removed unless I cancled payment with the law firm and paid them. So my question is who should I pay for the same bill, the law office representing the hospital or the collection agency representing the hospital?

Ask the collection agency to provide you with proof that it "owns" the debt. (Debts can be purchased.)

In the interim ask the law firm to withhold depositing the check and inquire if it can shed any light on this situation.

If the collection agency does indeed own the debt payment should be made to it and you should advise the law firm that the check sent to it should not be deposited and that you have stopped payment on it.

If the collection agency does not own the debt you should confirm with the law firm that it is still handling this matter for the hospital.

If you are unable to do any of the above before the check is deposited then ask the law firm to hold the monies in trust until the matter is sorted out.

In future, you should always confirm such things in advance and have a written agreement in place that upon payment of the debt any negative references on your credit report will be removed or rectified.

Normally safest to pay the court where the judgement is filed, they will then pay the proper agent