First steps after judgment
Enter the judgment and serve notice of entry. Docket it with the county clerk so it becomes a lien on real property the debtor owns in that county. Judgments are enforceable for many years and accrue statutory interest, so a debtor without assets today may still pay when they refinance, sell property, or come into money later.
Finding the assets
Information subpoenas with written questions can be served on the debtor and on third parties such as banks and employers, requiring answers under oath. Public records reveal real property and business filings. A debtor's own prior filings in the case — bank statements produced in discovery — often supply the account information needed to levy.
Restraints, levies and income executions
A restraining notice served on a bank freezes accounts up to the statutory multiple of the judgment. A marshal or sheriff can then levy and turn funds over. An income execution garnishes a capped percentage of wages above a protected floor. Each device has service requirements and fee structures — a marshal's fee is added to what the debtor owes.
Exemptions the debtor can assert
Social Security, SSI, veterans' benefits, unemployment, child support, public assistance and a statutory minimum of wages are exempt. Banks must protect a baseline amount where exempt payments are directly deposited. A debtor whose exempt funds are frozen can file an exemption claim form, and creditors who restrain plainly exempt funds risk paying costs.