JudGMENT Enforcement Tools
Bank Levy
A bank levy freezes and seizes funds directly from a debtor's deposit accounts. Use it when the debtor has identifiable bank accounts — often the fastest route from judgment to cash.
Overview: Bank Levies & Wage Garnishments
Enforcement Guide: How to Levy a Bank Account in California
Also see: Enforcing a Judgment with a Bank Levy
Wage Garnishment
A wage garnishment intercepts a portion of the debtor's paycheck each pay period until the judgment is satisfied. Use it when the debtor is a W-2 employee with steady income — garnishments are self-executing once served on the employer.
Overview: Bank Levies & Wage Garnishments
Enforcement Guide: How to Garnish Wages in California
Also see: The Nuts and Bolts of Wage Garnishment
Assignment Order
An assignment order redirects payments owed to the debtor — such as 1099 contract income, commissions, or rents — directly to the creditor. Use it when the debtor earns non-W-2 income that a wage garnishment cannot reach.
Overview: Assignment Orders & 1099 Income
Enforcement Guide: Collecting from a 1099 Contractor
Also see: Assignment Order Guide
Till Tap
A till tap sends a levying officer to a business location to collect cash on hand at the moment of the levy. Use it when the debtor operates a cash-based business and bank account information is unavailable or accounts are frequently emptied.
Overview: Till Taps & Keeper Levies
Enforcement Guide: The Power of Till Taps
Keeper Levy
A keeper levy stations a levying officer at the debtor's business for an extended period — typically one or more business days — to collect all cash receipts as they come in. Use it against businesses with ongoing daily revenue when a single till tap would not recover enough.
Overview: Till Taps & Keeper Levies
Enforcement Guide: How a Keeper Levy Works
Real Estate Levy
Real property enforcement lets you record a lien against the debtor's real estate or force a sale of non-exempt property to satisfy the judgment. Use it when the debtor owns California real property — a lien alone creates leverage even if no sale occurs immediately.
Overview: Real Property Liens & Enforcement
Enforcement Guides: Abstract of Judgment | Real Property Levy | Real Property Levy Steps
Charging Order
A charging order attaches the debtor's economic interest in an LLC or partnership, entitling the creditor to any distributions the debtor would have received. Use it when the debtor holds a membership or partnership interest but the underlying entity assets are otherwise protected.
Enforcement Guide: Charging Orders Against LLC Interests in California
Debtor's Examination
A judgment debtor's examination is a court-ordered deposition requiring the debtor to appear and answer questions about assets, income, and finances under oath. Use it when you need to locate assets before selecting an enforcement tool — or when prior collection efforts have stalled.
Enforcement Guide: How to Conduct a Judgment Debtor's Exam
Turnover Order
A turnover order compels the debtor — or a third party holding assets — to deliver specific property to the levying officer or directly to the creditor. Use it when identifiable assets exist that cannot be reached by a standard levy.
Guide coming soon.
UVTA Litigation
The Uniform Voidable Transactions Act allows a creditor to undo fraudulent transfers — assets moved to insiders or third parties to frustrate collection — and recover them for enforcement. Use it when the debtor has transferred property for less than fair value or with intent to hinder creditors.
Overview: Fraudulent Transfer & UVTA in California
Enforcement Guide: Fraudulent Transfer & the UVTA: Full Guide
Alter Ego Litigation
Alter ego liability pierces the corporate veil to hold an individual personally responsible for a judgment entered against their business entity — or vice versa. Use it when the debtor entity is a shell or the individual so dominated the entity that treating them as separate would perpetuate a fraud.
Overview: Alter Ego in California
Enforcement Guide: Alter Ego Liability: Full Guide
Out-of-State Judgments
A judgment from another state requires domestication before any California enforcement tool can be used. Once domesticated, the full range of California collection remedies becomes available.
Overview: Out-of-State Judgment Enforcement
Family Law Orders
Support orders and family law money judgments carry special enforcement priority and access to tools unavailable to general creditors — including income withholding orders and contempt proceedings.
Overview: Enforcing Family Law Orders
Judgment Renewal
California judgments are enforceable for 10 years from the date of entry — after that, they expire and collection becomes impossible without timely renewal.
Overview: What Happens to a California Civil Judgment After 10 Years?
A judgment is a license to collect. Submit your judgment for a free review.