Collecting a Judgment

A judgment is the end-product of litigation and trial.  It is effectively an order from a court declaring that one litigant is indebted to another and authorizing the judgment-creditor to use state power, i.e., the sheriff's office, to seize property and satisfy the obligation.  If only it were so easy.

The law affords a judgment-creditor various methods to satisfy a judgment.  A judgment-creditor can garnish the debtor's bank account or employer's paycheck.  A judgment-creditor can seize the judgment-debtor's non-exempt property. A judgment-creditor can also employ proceedings supplementary to execution. All are covered in detail as separate topics.