{"id":368855,"date":"2016-04-04T10:47:05","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:47:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/after-a-judgment-collecting-money.html"},"modified":"2024-05-13T00:16:15","modified_gmt":"2024-05-13T05:16:15","slug":"after-a-judgment-collecting-money","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/after-a-judgment-collecting-money.html","title":{"rendered":"After a Judgment: Collecting Money"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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After a Judgment: Collecting Money<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By Susan Buckner, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Melissa Bender, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last reviewed\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Winning a civil case in court is not the end of the process. If the losing party cannot pay the judgment or refuses to follow the court order, you are responsible for collecting your award. You may have a few options to collect money after a lawsuit.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

If you are lucky enough to win a money judgment, it may only be the beginning. The court does not collect a civil judgment for the plaintiff.<\/p>\n

Once you have your judgment, you are the “judgment creditor.” You can use the court to enforce your judgment against the defendant, now the “judgment debtor.”<\/p>\n

There are a number of methods you can use to collect your judgment. The only real limit is how much time and effort you want to spend collecting your award.<\/p>\n

Some of these methods may require help from a civil law attorney<\/a> or a collection agency. Get legal advice before proceeding with any of these options.<\/p>\n

How To Collect Money After Winning Your Case<\/h2>\n

In an ideal scenario, the other party would simply write you a check for the full amount soon after the judgment. But that’s usually not how collection happens, especially in high-value cases. The debtor might not have enough cash readily available to pay. In some cases, they may try to evade or unreasonably delay payment.<\/p>\n

Potential collection methods can include:<\/p>\n