Frequently
Asked Questions
Q: I thought my judgment was an order for the debtor to pay?
Isn't the debtor breaking the law by not paying me?
A: Unfortunately it is not against
the law to owe money. We do not have debtor's prison anymore.
And if your debtor were in jail, it would be more difficult
for us to collect. We want the debtor working, making money,
saving money, and making purchases so that we can (surprise!)
take them all to help pay his/her debts.
Q: Are you a collection agency?
A: We are not a collection agency.
Collection agencies process debts in bulk. They send out thousands
of nasty letters and call debtors to try to get them to pay.
We are different. We actually "take
assignment" on your judgment. Then we have the authority
to pull credit reports, conduct thorough asset investigations,
including surveillance, bank locates and more, and even bring
your debtor back into court. Our cases are treated individually
and expertly. We are not afraid to put out money for enforcement
procedures. And we have resources that collection agencies
will never have.
Q: Can I use an attorney?
A: Yes you can. However, an attorney will charge an hourly fee of $175
to $250 per hour. Also, while many attorneys are skilled at getting judgments,
most are not familiar with effective post-judgment strategies.
Q: But how much will it cost me, really?
A: It costs you absolutely nothing. We advance all costs. If there
are additional court expenses, we petition the court to add these to
the judgment. We work with attorneys at no cost to you. In short: We
spend the time and the money. If we don't collect, it still costs you
nothing.
Q. Can you guarantee that you'll collect the money judgment?
A: There are no guarantees, except that we will make our strongest
effort. We use every strategy to collect, including pursuing assets
of spouses and even a former spouse, and when appropriate, add debtors
to your judgment on "alter ego theory". If your debtor files
for Bankruptcy, not all is lost. When appropriate, we will fight the
debtor's bankruptcy in order to get the judgment non-discharged.
Q. How long is my judgment good for?
A: If you are in California, a judgment is good for an initial 10
years, and can be renewed indefinitely. It is also collecting 10% interest
per year. Other states may vary from 7 to 25 years.
Q. Okay, what should I do now?
A: Call us and our investigative team will conduct a confidential
no-cost assessment of your judgment. This usually takes between 24
and 48 hours. then we will contact you with the results, and discuss
our strategies.