What to do about $ owed to me by my X

[pamme64]

In our divorce decree in 1993, my X was ordered to pay a $1400 hospital bill, and the lawyer's fees. He has paid neither bill. I have paid the lawyer's bill, and I am being taken to court over the hospital bill. I have been told that it is up to me to collect the $$$ from the X. How do I go about getting this $? Do I go to small claims court, or do I get an attorney to file contempt of court? With interest, he should be paying me over $3,000. I don't want to let this slide anymore.

 

[Grandma B]

You forgot to say where you live.

In most cases, you would need to go to court to secure a judgment against him for the amount he was ordered to pay. You would then be able to take steps, such as having his wages garnished, to collect the judgment. Hopefully, he's employed. You could also file a Motion to Show Cause regarding not paying the bills he was ordered to pay, which should cause him to be held in contempt.

It's always seemed wrong to me that one party is court ordered to pay a bill, but the other party can be sued for that bill. Sadly, however, that's the way it is.