James – When I began posting on FA, it was because of a question like yours, and the answer, unfortunately for you, hasn’t changed. Neither has the life of a judgment, which, if you don’t renew it is initially, is 10 years. Don’t think of it as an investment.
1) The methods are exactly the same as to a plaintiff who wins a multi-million dollar case in a higher court. The reason it hasn’t changed is that is that your legislature and courts have given you the most extensive statute in the country. If you can’t fit your problem into a right it doesn’t provide, you’re not trying, and that’s the reason you’re here. You didn’t learn your options beforehand; you didn’t have a plan if you won and, whoops, you did.
2) I don’t mean to be hard on you; your question is very common, but I don’t know why. You wouldn’t choose to go into a competition asking what the rules are, but you’ve handicapped yourself so much you’re asking people on the Net. Always plan how you’ll maximize a win; you’ll plan attaining it more intelligently.
3) Use the links you’ve been provided to learn basic procedure. The law that it refers to is the Uniform Enforcement of Judgments Act.
See http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/calawquery?codesection=ccp&codebody=&hits=20 starting at § 608 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
4) You haven’t told us anymore about your debtor, so I can assure your that nobody can suggest the easiest and least expensive remedy likely to be successful
