(1) When a recorded mortgage on real property, land contract, or tax lien (except tax liens held by the state or any political subdivision of the state) on lands or property has been paid or satisfied or when 15 years have elapsed since the debt or lien secured by the mortgage, land contract, or tax lien became due and payable or since the last payment made upon it, and no civil action or proceedings have been commenced to collect the same and in case of tax deeds when no service of notice to interested persons (of any kind) has been filed with the county clerk, the owner of the land or property may institute an action in the circuit courts to discharge the mortgage, land contract or tax lien.

    (2) If it appears to the court at the trial, either by the production in evidence of the original mortgage, land contract, tax lien, bond or bonds, promissory notes to secure the payment of which the mortgage was given, or by any other competent evidence, that the debt or lien secured by the mortgage, land contract, or tax lien has been fully paid both in principal and interest; or if it appears to the court by competent evidence that the debt or lien has been past due for 15 years, or that 15 years have elapsed since the last payment was made on the debt or lien and that no action or proceeding has been commenced to foreclose or perfect the mortgage, land contract, or tax lien the court shall enter judgment to that effect which contains within it the names of the witnesses and the nature of the evidence by which the facts have been made to appear. A minute of this shall be entered in the court’s journal. A copy of the judgment, signed by the judge of the court and attested by the clerk of the court under the seal of the court shall be delivered to the plaintiff and may be recorded in the office of the register of deeds for the county or counties in which the mortgage, land contract, or tax lien is recorded in the same manner and with the same effects in all respects as if it were a formal discharge of the mortgage, land contract, or tax lien duly executed by the mortgagee or owner of the land contract or tax lien.