Collecting on a judgement

[evelyn45]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Illinois

In August of this year my landlord sued me for back rent. A judgment was ordered, and I am to pay $100 per month starting in September until the amount is satisfied.

Since court, the landlord's husband has contacted me via phone, certified mail, and personal visits at work inquiring as to the payments of the judgment. According to the order I was to begin making payments in September - a specific date is not mentioned. I have the entire month of September to make my first payment, why am I being contacted by this person? I am not in default. I do not owe him any money - I owe his wife the money.

How do I legally get this fellow to stop contacting me about money owed to his wife, and is not past due?
What is the legal collection process for a judgment? If I'm paying on it (which I've not even had the chance to do yet) do they have a right to continually contact me?

 

[HomeGuru]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Illinois

In August of this year my landlord sued me for back rent. A judgment was ordered, and I am to pay $100 per month starting in September until the amount is satisfied.

Since court, the landlord's husband has contacted me via phone, certified mail, and personal visits at work inquiring as to the payments of the judgment. According to the order I was to begin making payments in September - a specific date is not mentioned. I have the entire month of September to make my first payment, why am I being contacted by this person? I am not in default. I do not owe him any money - I owe his wife the money.

How do I legally get this fellow to stop contacting me about money owed to his wife, and is not past due?
What is the legal collection process for a judgment? If I'm paying on it (which I've not even had the chance to do yet) do they have a right to continually contact me?

**A: what do you mean why? He is contacting you because you owe them money. Good grief. If you paid the rent you would not be faced with this problem. Yes, they have the right to keep contacting you.

 

[evelyn45]

I was out of work for over a year, that is why the rent did not get paid.

So a judgment is ordered and someone who isn't owed the money can contact me daily at work? This doesn't seem right. I don't owe "them" anything. I owe the landlord the money and she's not the one contacting me.

 

[Antigone*]

I was out of work for over a year, that is why the rent did not get paid.

So a judgment is ordered and someone who isn't owed the money can contact me daily at work? This doesn't seem right. I don't owe "them" anything. I owe the landlord the money and she's not the one contacting me.

Yes he can contact you everyday until a legal ordered is issued that says different.

So make your $100 payment and he'll stop bugging you.

 

[CourtClerk]

Someone needs to go into court and have the judgment modified so that the payments are due on a specific date...

 

[evelyn45]

Ok...how do I get back in front of the judge to have the judgment modified to state a specific date?

I will pay the payment - at the end of the month as I've stated to the landlord's husband 5 times now. I don't have the money until then. Period. It's not a matter of me not paying because I just don't want to, it's a matter of not having the funds to do so. Please don't make me feel like a good-for-nothing; I'm at a difficult point in my life right now, and I'm trying my hardest to bounce back. I was out of work for over a year, fell behind on everything, and have since taken the only job I could find making half of what I was making before...and still not get by. Until I lost my job rent was paid on time, if not early, every month. It's difficult out there, and the constant stress of the contact is only making matters worse for me.

The issue was the third party contact. I'm not trying to get out of paying anything.

 

[CourtClerk]

You'll need to make a motion to the court. If I were the plaintiff, I would be trying to put the kibosh on you paying me at the END of every month. You've already been paying when you get ready to. Payments need to be due at the beginning of every month, and if not paid by the 5th, your wages need to be immediately garnished without further notice.

 

[evelyn45]

And how do I make a motion to the court? I don't know how to do anything at the courthouse or legally - that's why I'm on this forum.

Paying at the end of the month was ok with the judge when I brought it up in court. The judge was concerned about my financial situation and we discussed when I would be able to make payments. I let the judge know I would be able to make the payment at the end of each month, and he said that was fine as long as it was paid each month he wouldn't have a problem with me. The landlord said nothing about this in the courtroom - but had her husband call me 5 days later to find out when I would be sending the first payment. I reiterated the conversation I had with the judge, and left it all at that. There's nothing more I can do. My wages cannot be garnish as I don't make enough money to do so. Nor do I own any property to put a lien against. This is the first payment coming to the landlord from the judgment - it's not like I've just been paying whatever, whenever I feel like it. I'm following the court order as it's stated - albeit vaguely - and what was discussed with the judge in front of the landlord.

I wish he would have written a specific order, it would have saved a lot of stress for both parties.

 

[Zigner]

By the time to get to court, you'll have already started paying.