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

If the individual against whom a small claims court judgment was granted does not have assets, then they cannot pay the judgment. To collect the judgment, you will need to investigate their employment and assets to determine what the person owns, and then take appropriate steps to collect it. In Wisconsin, the debtor has twenty days to appeal the judgment. If the debtor does not appeal the judgment, then you can start the collection process by submitting a copy of the judgment to the court to obtain a Writ of Execution. This Writ allows the sheriff or a court-appointed special process server to collect money or assets from the debtor’s employer, bank accounts, or other assets. If the debtor does not have any assets, then the court will not be able to issue a Writ of Execution. In this case, you can file a Renewal of Judgment in court to extend the period of time during which the judgment is valid. The renewed judgment will allow you to keep track of any potential assets, employment, or income that the debtor gains in the future. If the debtor is self-employed or works for a small business, you may be able to collect a judgment yourself by serving the employer directly. You can contact the employer and request to garnish the debtor’s wages or inform them of the judgment. The employer is obligated to ask the debtor to pay a portion of their wages to satisfy the judgment. If the employee refuses to pay, then you can request a Contempt Order from the court that will require the debtor to appear before the court and explain why they are not paying the judgment. If the judge finds the debtor in contempt of court, then they can be fined, sent to jail, or have their assets seized.

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

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