Q: I signed a promissory note. Is this going to hold up in court?
A: A signed promissory note can be evidence of an agreement. However, one party could argue that there is other evidence, including oral evidence, that you owe more money than is in the promissory note. It will be up to a judge as to who he/she will believe.
However, if you owe someone money, you are much better off having a signed document about how much you owe so that there is no dispute. Also, if you make payments, make sure you receive a signed receipt for each payment. Preferably, do not make payments in cash, but rather checks that can be traced if there is a dispute later.