Are there any rules prohibiting me from collecting a small claims court judgment outside of court?

In Colorado, it is illegal to collect a small claims court judgment outside of court. This is because only a court-appointed officer or the sheriff can enforce a small claims court judgment. This protects debtors from having any disputes resolved in court, without the intervention of a court-appointed officer. The Colorado statutory law states that a "debtor may not take any action to enforce the judgment outside of court other than to have the judgment noted in a public record, or to obtain a certified copy of the judgment”. While a creditor may be able to reach out to the debtor to negotiate a payment plan, any attempt to collect from the debtor without authorization from the court is prohibited. The debtor can also request a payment plan from the court if needed, and the court will issue an order requiring the debtor to make payments. In addition, a creditor should not threaten or harass a debtor in an attempt to collect on a judgment. This is considered a form of debt collection abuse, and it is illegal. In summary, a debtor cannot collect a small claims court judgment outside of court in Colorado. The creditor must go through the court-appointed officer or the sheriff to collect on the judgment. Furthermore, any attempt to harass or intimidate the debtor is prohibited.

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