Payment of Money
A court judgment in your favor does not automatically result in payment of money. If the debtor does not pay voluntarily, you must initiate collection of a judgment. Further court procedures are necessary. The primary methods available to small claims litigants for enforcing the payment of judgments are:
- Garnishments
- Writs of Execution
Garnishments
This is a method of collection that allows the judgment creditor to obtain monies owed by others to the judgment debtor usually by attaching the judgment debtor's earnings or bank accounts. (See S.814 Wisconsin Statutes)
Writs of Execution
A judgment creditor may ask the court for a Writ of Execution directing the sheriff to seize specific, non-exempt personal or real property belonging to the judgment debtor for the purpose of satisfying a judgment. You may want to obtain professional, legal advice to decide if a Writ of Execution is appropriate for your case. (See S815 Wisconsin Statutes)