Judgment Debtor legal definition of Judgment Debtor. Judgment Debtor synonyms by the Free Online Law Dictionary.

A party against which an unsatisfied court decision is awarded; a person who is obligated to satisfy a court decision.

The term judgment debtor describes a party against which a court has made a monetary award. If a court renders a judgment involving money damages, the losing party must satisfy the amount of the award, which is called the judgment debt. Such a decision gives the winner of the suit, or Judgment Creditor, the right to recover the debt, or award, through extraordinary means, and the court may help the creditor do so. State law governs how the debt may be recovered. Although the recovery process can be harsh, the law provides the debtor with certain rights and protection.

Following the verdict, other legal steps are usually taken against the judgment debtor. The court can order the debtor to appear for an oral hearing to assess the debtor's assets. If it is determined that the debtor has assets sufficient to satisfy the judgment debt, the court may order the debtor to surrender certain property to it. Commonly the judgment creditor must take additional legal action. This involves seeking the court's assistance in seizing the debtor's property, by the process known as attachment, or a portion of the debtor's salary, by the process called Garnishment.

For centuries, attachment of property was allowed ex parte—without first allowing the defendant debtor to argue against it. However, contemporary law affords the debtor some protection. The debtor has the right to minimal due process. States generally require that the judgment creditor first secure a writ of attachment, that the debtor be given notice before seizure occurs, and that the debtor have the right to a prompt hearing afterward to challenge the seizure.

Other protections apply to both property and wages. First, not every kind of property is subject to attachment. States provide exemptions for certain household items, clothing, tools, and other essentials. Additional provisions may protect individuals in cases of extreme hardship. Where the creditor seeks garnishment in order to seize the judgment debtor's wages, laws generally exempt a certain amount of the salary that is necessary for personal or family support.

Courts can exercise their discretion to go beyond the statutory protections for judgment debtors. They can exempt more property from attachment than that specified in a statute. In some cases they can also deny the attachment or garnishment altogether. This can occur when the creditor seeks more in property than the value of the judgment debt, or where the property sought is an ongoing business that would be destroyed by an attachment.

judgment debtor n. the losing defendant in a lawsuit who owes the amount of the judgment to the winner. (See: judgment creditor)

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abstract of judgment bankruptcy and debts due execution Fieri Facias judgment Judgment Creditor lien stay Supplementary Proceedings toll warranty Writ of execution	The motives are usually self-evident: one disgruntled spouse may attempt to cut off the other from the value of the equity, or a judgment debtor may attempt to transfer assets to a family member in order to avoid a creditor. Preventing fraud at closing: there are some simple yet effective ... by Bailey, Adam Leitman / Mortgage Banking Creditor's assets are domestic - Domesticating a foreign judgment is also an option for a judgment creditor who just recently learned that a judgment debtor from California has assets in Texas that can be collected. Judgments Out of Reach Domesticating a Foreign Judgment by Joe Cline / Law community Collecting From Business Receipts Where a business is the judgment debtor, you can often collect by ordering the sheriff or marshal to take the amount of the judgment right out of the debtor''s cash register (this is called a "till tap"). Bankruptcy Judgments and How to Make Money with Them by Bruce Anderson / Real estate industry community	judge at random judge before hearing judge beforehand judge erroneously judge from premises judge in advance judge inaccurately judge innocent judge the future Judge uses law on his own judge with indulgence judge with uncertainty judge wrongly Judge's Judge's notes judge’s chamber judged judged by comparison judges judges of the facts judgmatic judgment judgment by default Judgment Creditor judgment debt Judgment Debtor judgment dissolving a marriage Judgment Docket Judgment for credit card debt judgment for the defendant as a matter of law Judgment Note Judgment Notwithstanding the Verdict judgment of the court judgment on facts judgment on the facts Judgment poll Judgment Proof judgment seat judicable Judicare judicate judication judicatorial judicatory judicature Judicature Acts Judices pedaneos Judici officium suum excedenti non paretur Judici satis paena est quod deum habet ultorem Judicia in deliberationibus crebro naturescunt Judicia posteriora sunt in lege fortiora	judgment judgment judgment judgment judgment judgment Judgment (philosophy) Judgment (philosophy) Judgment About Nursing Decisions Judgment and Commitment Order Judgment and Decision Making Judgment and Order for Support Judgment as a matter of law judgment by default judgment by default judgment by default judgment call Judgment collection Judgment collection judgment creditor judgment creditor Judgment date Judgment date Judgment Day Judgment Day Judgment Day Judgment Day Judgment Day (song) judgment debt judgment debt Judgment Debtor judgment dissolving a marriage Judgment Docket Judgment Entry Judgment for credit card debt judgment for the defendant as a matter of law Judgment hall Judgment in a Criminal Case Judgment in default Judgment in default Judgment in default judgment in personam judgment in rem judgment in rem judgment lien judgment lien judgment lien Judgment non obstante veredicto Judgment Note Judgment notwithstanding the verdict Judgment notwithstanding verdict Judgment notwithstanding verdict judgment of conviction judgment of conviction judgment of dismissal Judgment of God Judgment of God Judgment of Line Angle and Position Judgment of Line Orientation Test Judgment of Paris Judgment of Paris (mythology)

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abstract of judgment
bankruptcy and debts due
execution
Fieri Facias
judgment
Judgment Creditor
lien
stay
Supplementary Proceedings
toll
warranty
Writ of execution

The motives are usually self-evident: one disgruntled spouse may attempt to cut off the other from the value of the equity, or a judgment debtor may attempt to transfer assets to a family member in order to avoid a creditor.

Preventing fraud at closing: there are some simple yet effective ... by Bailey, Adam Leitman / Mortgage Banking

Creditor's assets are domestic - Domesticating a foreign judgment is also an option for a judgment creditor who just recently learned that a judgment debtor from California has assets in Texas that can be collected.

Judgments Out of Reach Domesticating a Foreign Judgment by Joe Cline / Law community

Collecting From Business Receipts Where a business is the judgment debtor, you can often collect by ordering the sheriff or marshal to take the amount of the judgment right out of the debtor''s cash register (this is called a "till tap").

Bankruptcy Judgments and How to Make Money with Them by Bruce Anderson / Real estate industry community

Judge uses law on his own

judge with indulgence