Garnishment

Garnishment is an order from the court compelling a third-party to state whether it is indebted to the judgment debtor and, if so, to pay some or all of the obligation to the judgment creditor.  Garnishment works most effectively in cases involving banks.  

Writs of Garnishment may be served without prior notice to the judgment debtor. Service of a Writ of Garnishment on a judgment debtor's bank will ordinarily freeze all his bank assets. On many occasions, this results in bounced checks and a serious interruption in the judgment debtor's business.  This alone may prompt the judgment debtor to satisfy the judgment.