You’re precisely correct, BigMouthWino. If anybody is getting jailed, it’s for contempt of court, not for failure to pay a civil judgment, much less attorney’s fees. Don’t commit contempt and no jail even if no pay. The only exception I can think of would be in family court, where the judgment might also be an on-going order to pay support and willful refusal of that could cost jail. Even then, you’re not talking about attorneys’ fees.
It seemed that this thread, which only eviscerated the OP and family, wasn’t worth an effort. But OHRoadWarrior apparently can’t understand the concept and doesn’t want to. You wouldn’t have to chase papers if you look at the GA Code. Unfortunately, “a return to debtors’ prisons!!” has some panache to it. I saw a lawyer blog to the same effect. He didn’t understand either and it confuses people.
Not only will they not go to jail unless contempt is committed (and they’re unlucky), they won’t stay more than minutes in my state – cost and overcrowding are the reasons. The OP says “she” spent tens of thousands on the case. Lawyers aren’t too keen on seeing such clients go to jail and it certainly makes it harder to get paid.
Wrong is wrong. Why ignore that fact or condemn BigMourthWino? He wasn't the one who insisted on being intransigent. Anybody who has any experience in this area knows that he explained it accurately. And you’d rather have incorrect information disseminated than have somebody’s halo on tilt? OHRW could have just looked at the GA Code or even at Google. As commercial litigators, Chien, in the debt forum, and I have been through this dozens of times. Imagine what it's like to have somebody who doesn't know adamantly insist that up is down and black is white.