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How do you get paid when you sue someone?

Rakehellion

Rakehellion

Lifer
Do they just cut you a check right in the courtroom? How does the money actually change hands? What happens if they don't pay?
 
Doubtful. Depends. If they have money you can wait so long with a judgement and go back to court to get a court order to seize stuff I believe. Otherwise another trip to the court house or 2 you can get wage garnisment . Good luck collecting on dead beats. Might be able to sell your judgement to a collection agency for pennies on the dollar.
 
If you win a monetary award in a suit, it basically means a valid legal debt has been created. The person owes you money, just you like you might owe money to any creditor. The collection process is usually no different. You have to collect from them, and there are many ways to do so, including garnishing wages etc. Depends on the specific circumstances though.
 
That is why people sue companies instead of their employees. The company usually has the money to pay when the individual employee does not. You can win lawsuits against people but if they do not have the ability to pay then it doesn't do you any good. You can garnish wages but if they don't have a job or on welfare good luck collecting anything.

I have seen TV ads pop up for people offering to buy your judgments/ court awards. Let's say you win 10,000 in a lawsuit. This company will buy your judgment for maybe $2,000. Then the company goes after and collects the money and whatever they collect they keep. Kind of like when your bad debt goes to a collection agency.
 
Friend of mine got hit by a truck while on a bike, sued the guy and his insurance company and won. That was 3-4 months ago. He got a check that was delivered by UPS last Friday. It was around $100,000, I believe. He made a joke about going to Ace Cash Express to cash it.
 
Raduque said:
Friend of mine got hit by a truck while on a bike, sued the guy and his insurance company and won. That was 3-4 months ago. He got a check that was delivered by UPS last Friday. It was around $100,000, I believe. He made a joke about going to Ace Cash Express to cash it.
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Dang, was your friend OK, did he break any bones?
 
Rakehellion said:
Do they just cut you a check right in the courtroom? How does the money actually change hands? What happens if they don't pay?
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Most likely they are going to file chapter 7 and you will be crap out of luck. Unless that person is wealthy. I have a friend who is a lawyer, and that is all he does all day is tell his clients to file. Gets them off the hook on all the money, just puts them in a credit hole for a few years.
 
If they don't have any money or assets then it is rather hard. My mom hired someone to build a patio for her a few years back, he did a shoddy job and things started falling apart, he ignored her complaints so she sued him. She won but by that time the guy was flat broke and in jail so she now gets a measly check every month from his jail wage garnishment.
 
I think if you go on one of those TV court shows, they pay the debt to for you. So, if you are going to sue someone (and are correct in doing so), Judge Judy is likely the best way to actually get the money.
 
smackababy said:
I think if you go on one of those TV court shows, they pay the debt to for you. So, if you are going to sue someone (and are correct in doing so), Judge Judy is likely the best way to actually get the money.
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The reason judge Judy gets things done is because she's the sexiest bitch on daytime television. I'd sue her pants off, lemme tell ya.
 
smackababy said:
I think if you go on one of those TV court shows, they pay the debt to for you. So, if you are going to sue someone (and are correct in doing so), Judge Judy is likely the best way to actually get the money.
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Don't both parties have to agree to hand over the case to arbitration?
 
MetalMat said:
Don't both parties have to agree to hand over the case to arbitration?
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Yes, they agree before going on the show, and then the show pays the guilty party's dues. That's how they get such trashy episodes, they get people who know they're clearly guilty but can't afford to pay for a judgment against them so they go on Judge Judy and take a verbal beating from her on public TV in exchange for the show paying for the judgment.
 
MetalMat said:
If they don't have any money or assets then it is rather hard. My mom hired someone to build a patio for her a few years back, he did a shoddy job and things started falling apart, he ignored her complaints so she sued him. She won but by that time the guy was flat broke and in jail so she now gets a measly check every month from his jail wage garnishment.
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Garnish someone's jail wages? Daaaamn!

It's like the guy who had 18 kids and worked at McDonald's. Child support checks were like $2.50 a month.
 
smackababy said:
I think if you go on one of those TV court shows, they pay the debt to for you. So, if you are going to sue someone (and are correct in doing so), Judge Judy is likely the best way to actually get the money.
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They give everyone a few bucks for appearing, but they don't pay the debt.
 
I'm just curious if the other person/or you where to cut a check right in front of the judge's face would they stop you from doing it. Or would the judge ask the person if they are satisfied with this and make a note in the court transcript indicating receipt of payment.....
 
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