Garnishments and Exemptions from Judgments

Once a creditor sues and obtains a judgment (court order) against a debtor they must follow a legal process to obtain payment. The creditor collects on a judgment through a "Writ of Execution" which directs a sheriff to seize the debtor's money, property, or real estate to pay the debt (in limited situations, money or property may be taken before a court enters a judgment). A creditor must collect on the debt within five years after a court issues a judgment, although a creditor can renew a judgment for additional five year periods. If the creditor does not collect on or renew the judgment within the five year period, they cannot force the debtor to pay...