Winning your case is just half the battle. If the other side refuses to pay a judgment or follow a court order, you have to take additional steps to force compliance. Each enforcement tool has its own procedure and best use case.
If a court order requires specific action (paying support, returning property, complying with custody) and the person willfully refuses, you can file a motion for contempt. Sanctions can include fines, attorney's fees, and even jail in family cases.
For money judgments, you can serve a wage garnishment on the debtor's employer. State law caps how much can be garnished — typically 25% of disposable income. The employer is legally required to comply with valid garnishments.
If you know where the debtor banks, you can serve a writ on the bank to seize money in the account. This is a one-time grab — the bank pays out whatever's there at the time of service.
Recording your judgment with the county recorder creates a lien on any real property the debtor owns in that county. The lien must be paid before the debtor can sell or refinance.
Most courts let you compel the debtor to appear and answer questions about their income, accounts, and property under oath. Useful when you don't yet know where to garnish or levy. Lying or skipping an exam can result in contempt.
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