How do I collect a judgment from an individual who does not have assets?

If an individual does not have assets in Washington state to pay for a judgment collected in small claims court, the court usually cannot force a judgment debtor to pay. However, there are still a few options available to debtors to collect a judgment from someone without assets. One possible option is to garnish the judgment debtor’s wages. This is done by obtaining a Writ of Garnishment from a court in Washington. The Writ of Garnishment will order the debtor’s employer to withhold a certain portion of the debtor’s wages and send it to the creditor. Another option is to obtain the assistance of a professional debt collector. Debt collectors can take steps such as contacting the debtor and trying to negotiate a payment plan. Finally, debtors may be able to locate the debtor’s assets, such as bank accounts, investments, or real estate, by conducting a skip trace. A skip trace is a process that can uncover the debtor’s location as well as any assets they may have. If all else fails, debtors may consider suing the debtor in a different court, such as a district court, which has jurisdiction over cases involving more money or higher profile cases than small claims court. These courts may have more options available to creditors to collect a judgment from someone without assets.

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How do I collect a judgment from an individual who does not have assets?

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