Finding a Debtor

THE DETECTIVE ASPECT OF COLLECTING

THE DETECTIVE ASPECT OF COLLECTING

Inspector Lawyer: The Detective Aspect of Collecting

One woman made a break for it and took out her garbage. Another debtor attempted to pull out of his garage. And one man was attending a social event, chatting with friends and sipping drinks.

All of these individuals unsuccessfully avoided the process server and were eventually personally served with an order to appear for a judgment debtor's exam, a slam-dunk for anyone attempting to collect on a judgment.

When you have obtained a judgment you can seek an order for the judgment debtor to appear in court and answer questions about their assets. Forcing judgment debtors to appear in court and reveal where they work and bank, where their spouse works and banks, and what property they own is one of the many ways to collect on a judgment.  

Unlike regular service of process, debtor's exams must be personally served, which can make them a bit of a challenge. Yet, knocking down that barrier is possible if you employ a variety of detective-esque tactics.