Default Judgement, now what?

[AdamWe]

What is the name of your state? PA

Hello, I posted on your forum before and recieved very good advice about my case so I wanted to post another question about protocol after a default judgement. My case was today and I showed up but my ex landlord who is the defendant didn't. I know that they have 30 days to appeal and after the 30 days I can call the district magistrate for my collection options. My question is which method is the best way to go about collecting my judgment?
She has basically ignored all of my certified mail letters and attempts to contact her and since she lives in Philadelphia and I live in Pittsburgh I suppose she can just stonewall me if she doesn't want to pay. In the small claims lawsuit I named the landlord and her agent who lives in Pittsburgh so I can go after her as well. Thank you for any advice you can give me and tell me if you need anymore info about the case.

 

[seniorjudge]

What is the name of your state? PA

Hello, I posted on your forum before and recieved very good advice about my case so I wanted to post another question about protocol after a default judgement. My case was today and I showed up but my ex landlord who is the defendant didn't. I know that they have 30 days to appeal and after the 30 days I can call the district magistrate for my collection options. My question is which method is the best way to go about collecting my judgment?
She has basically ignored all of my certified mail letters and attempts to contact her and since she lives in Philadelphia and I live in Pittsburgh I suppose she can just stonewall me if she doesn't want to pay. In the small claims lawsuit I named the landlord and her agent who lives in Pittsburgh so I can go after her as well. Thank you for any advice you can give me and tell me if you need anymore info about the case.

http://courts.phila.gov/pdf/brochures/small-claims-court.pdf


This may be a good place to start your research.

You may want to sell the judgment to a collection agency. Most small claims judgments are never collected because it is complicated and time-consuming and just downright hard to get any money on those kinds of judgments.

 

[AdamWe]

Thank you. The district clerk told me that after the 30 day appeal process she will go through all of my options for collecting my judgement. I was just wondering if it is just as good to go with the execution of judgement option or if I should hire an attorney for other options of satisfaction. I realize it is a small claim, less than $1,000, so it would just be a waste of money going through the attorney route but I defer to your better wisdom.

 

[BNILSON]

You know that it is not that hard to collect on a judgment, especially if you have ever written the landlord a check. You have all of their banking information on the back of the check in the edorsement, that is all you need to seize the bank account to satisfy the judgment. However, there are more legal steps involved, but it can be done pretty simply.

 

[AdamWe]

That is what I was looking for, thanks.