A judgment, in the simplest of terms, is a sheet of paper signed by a judge that orders the losing party (judgment defendant) to immediately pay a sum of money as indicated on that paper to the winning party (judgment holder).

Unfortunately, obtaining a judgment is not the “cure all” that many people think it is going to be when they first pay good money to file their lawsuit and the countless hours preparing their case. When you become a judgment holder, often times the real work begins.

State law is very specific about what remedies you, as the judgment holder, are allowed to take when the judgment defendant ignores the court order to pay their obligation. It takes a skilled legal collection department (NOT an attorney) to identify possible attachable assets, locate these assets, and then prepare the necessary paperwork to actually execute on these assets. This can include repossessions, garnishments, bank attachments, leins, till taps, and many other remedies. One cannot simply find an asset and somehow “just take it”. In addition, every state has different exemption items and amounts that dictate if an asset can be attached, what portion of the asset can be attached, and the frequency a recurring asset (such as wages) can be attached. Finally, often times an overzealous judgment holder will attach an asset in incorrect form or against the state exemption laws and will soon find themselves owing the judgment defendant money for damages.

What happens when you have a judgment in one jurisdiction and the  and the defendant moves to another? There is a lot of administrative work, fees and possibly attorneys that may be required. 

If you are fortunate, your judgment debtor will simply pay you in full upon having a judgment entered against him or her (or it for a business). However, if you are reading this section, chances are very good that you know this very rarely happens. Columbia Collection has attorneys on retainer and a fully staffed legal and asset location department that can take the worry and headache about finally getting your money. We have access to credit reports, state records, financial records, as well as many sources of public information that may be public, but still very difficult for the average person to obtain. We also forward all costs associated with the legal process so you don’t have to throw more good money after bad.

Call us today at (800) 807-3476 and let us discuss with you how we may be able to help you turn your judgment into a different color and shape of paper!