Garnishment

Why garnishment?

Maybe you have been asked to withhold a part of your employee’s wages to pay off his or her debts. Or, your business may seek to take someone else’s wages or bank accounts to get repaid. Either way, you are amidst a legal process called garnishment, which calls for using a specific set of forms in a particular, timely order.

If your employee’s wages are garnished . . .

Perhaps the first time you heard of garnishment is when you received a package of court forms that ordered you to withhold part of your employee’s wages. Whether you are working with an attorney or alone, whether the employee in question still works for you or not, respond quickly. If you don’t, you can be responsible for paying the debt yourself.

If you are collecting a judgment through garnishment . . .

You have won a civil suit in court, and the defendant owes you money. But the process isn’t over. It’s up to you to get the money – also known as the “money judgment” – and the courts can’t do it for you. If you have key information about the defendant such as bank account numbers and employer information, you may be able to garnish his or her wages, bank accounts and certain property.

How Bradford can help with Garnishments.

Bradford offers all the necessary Colorado-specific forms to collect a judgment, respond to a writ of garnishment and determine any exempt earnings or property. We also offer short guidelines that explain each Writ, what it does, and shows a sample situation.

Succeeding at Small Claims Court can provide much-needed justice, but it may not be worth your time and trouble unless you’re confident of winning and collecting. Bradford’s book, Winning Big in Colorado Small Claims Court: How to Sue and Collect gives you an insider’s guide to assessing your case, gauging damages, completing and serving forms, compiling evidence and collecting money. The book devotes specific chapters to garnishment. For a small investment, increase the odds of getting the money you are owed.