I won a small claims court case against someone who owes me $700. The court ruled in my favor, but the person is refusing to pay. They’re dishonest and claim to have no assets, even though I know they own a laptop, phone, bike, TV, and an Xbox. The judge won’t allow property seizure because it doesn’t match their asset form, and I doubt a debtor’s examination would help since they’ll just lie. I’m tired of dealing with them and don’t want to go back to court. I’ve heard that reporting the debt to the credit bureau could hurt their credit score, which they care about. I’m not a lawyer or a collection agency—just a regular person with a court order. How can I report this debt to the credit bureau? I’m even willing to hand it over to a collection agency if it means they’ll handle it. At this point, I care more about holding them accountable than getting the money back. What can I do?
If they’re on SSI, they’re likely judgment-proof. What kind of assets do you think they have?
Blair said:
If they’re on SSI, they’re likely judgment-proof. What kind of assets do you think they have?
They have a laptop, phone, bike, TV, and an Xbox. At least three of those are exempt, and the other two they’ll lie about owning. The court won’t let me check for myself.
@Van
Even if you seized and sold those items, you’d be lucky to get $200. This might just be a learning experience. It’s frustrating, but sometimes it’s better to let it go.
Blair said:
@Van
Even if you seized and sold those items, you’d be lucky to get $200. This might just be a learning experience. It’s frustrating, but sometimes it’s better to let it go.
You could keep the judgment active and check with a collection attorney in case they ever get an inheritance or something. You might be able to collect then.
@Blair
What’s a collection attorney? Is that a lawyer who specializes in debts like this?
Van said:
@Blair
What’s a collection attorney? Is that a lawyer who specializes in debts like this?
Yes, they specialize in collecting judgments. You might need to pay for a consultation, but they can give you good advice.
@Blair
At least now I know what type of lawyer to look for. Thanks.
Do you know if they own any property or have bank accounts in the county where you got the judgment? Did they really list zero assets on the form?
Zya said:
Do you know if they own any property or have bank accounts in the county where you got the judgment? Did they really list zero assets on the form?
Yes, they listed zero assets, zero money, and zero everything. I know they have an Xbox and TV, but they’ll lie about it if I bring it up.
@Van
An Xbox and TV aren’t considered assets.
Oh, really? Thanks for clarifying.
Cars, houses, and bank accounts are assets.
Oh, really? Thanks for clarifying.
Just reread your post. None of those things are considered assets.
@Tate
Good to know.
Can you file for wage garnishment? I’m not a lawyer, but if you have a judgment, you might be able to file the paperwork.
Leslie said:
Can you file for wage garnishment? I’m not a lawyer, but if you have a judgment, you might be able to file the paperwork.
They don’t have a job and live off SSI. They also rely on student loans, which they’ve either spent or hidden in a bank account they won’t admit to having.
You can hire a collection company to report the debt. They’ll handle it for a fee.
Oli said:
You can hire a collection company to report the debt. They’ll handle it for a fee.
This might be your only option, but they may not take your case. Most agencies don’t want to work on just one account.
@Kiran
What do you mean by ‘work on one account’?