How to Collect a Civil Judgement Award in Colorado

Civil court cases are typically levied against defendants in order to claim compensation from them. When these cases are unable to be settled outside of court, a judge or jury must decide the outcome. Depending on how well you can argue your case, you may be able to win a civil judgment through this process.

Yet, sometimes people who are awarded civil judgments struggle to get the money as soon as they need it. Furthermore, judgments can expire, often leading to claimants not recovering the full amount of money they won through the courts. In order to collect a civil judgment in Colorado, you may need additional aid from a Denver injury lawyer.

This is What Happens After a Civil Judgment is Awarded

Civil judgments rarely result in immediate payment. If your judgment was awarded through a county court, the judgment can exist for six years until it expires. District courts extend this period to twenty years, meaning you will have twenty years to collect from the defendant. If you are the person receiving the judgment, the courts declare you to be the Judgment Creditor. The party that must pay the award is the Judgment Debtor.

If the Judgment Creditor is unable to collect the money by the time the judgment expires, they may no longer be eligible to receive the money. Fortunately, there are a variety of methods that can be used to recover compensation awarded through a civil judgment.

Initial Steps to Collect Civil Judgments

The first step toward collecting civil judgments following a successful claim is to ask the Judgment Debtor for the money. Different courts have varying procedures that you must follow to acquire their contact information. Therefore individuals with very little information about the person they need to collect from may struggle to succeed in this step on their own.

Fortunately, the JDF 105 form can be submitted in order to have the court send a collection document to the Judgment Debtor. Once they receive the document, they have fourteen days to provide the courts with any information that is crucial to the collection process.

Collecting Awards Using Garnishment or Liens

Quite commonly, wage garnishment is used to recover compensation that has been awarded. This process involves acquiring legal approval to collect from a person’s wages. While this is usually the best way to get the money you are owed, sometimes individuals do not have a job where their wages can be garnished. In these instances, you may need to file a lien on their property. When a lien is placed, you gain the right to collect compensation from any proceeds earned when that property is sold.

Get The Money You Are Owed

Executing a lien or wage garnishment is not a simple process. To get the money you are due as quickly as possible, you should have a Denver accident attorney help you collect.

Fang Law Firm is ready to assist you today. To get in touch with one of our attorneys, contact us.