Texas Judgment Negotiation and Settlement
Allowing a civil judgment to remain unresolved can have devastating financial consequences
Many individuals who get sued for debt do not file an answer to the lawsuit, or fail to present a proper legal defense at trial. This typically results in a judgment being entered in favor of the plaintiff. Judgment enforcement by way of post-judgment discovery, appointment of a receiver, or bank garnishment is a very serious matter. It can result in seizure of personal nonexempt assets like money or real property, often with no notice required to the judgment debtor. We assist Texans in working to satisfy their judgments without undue disruption to their lives or businesses.
Post-judgment discovery is a common practice where a judgment creditor’s attorney seeks information regarding any assets you may have available to satisfy a judgment. There is no Texas debtor’s prison; however, it is possible to be held in contempt of court if you ignore discovery.
After a judgment is entered with the court, a creditor typically files an abstract of judgment with the county clerk. This creates a lien on the judgment debtor’s real property, which can cause problems during the purchase or sale of the property.
A judgment creditor may also seek a writ of execution, usually served on a judgment debtor by a constable, for any unsatisfied judgment. This allows the creditor to seize certain personal property to satisfy the debt. A writ of execution may also be issued to revive a judgment, allowing the judgment creditor to continue to try to collect on the judgment for an additional ten years.
Bank account garnishments in Texas are extremely common. A creditor with a final judgment can request a writ to freeze a judgment debtor’s checking or savings account, and disburse the frozen funds to satisfy all or a portion of the judgment. Wages cease to be wages and become available for garnishment once the funds are deposited into a bank account.
Judgment settlement negotiation services
We bill flat fees for judgment negotiation, the same as for lawsuit defense. Our fee scale can be found here. Most judgment creditors are willing to agree to reasonable repayment plans, and will very often offer a discount on the face value of the judgment. Our post-judgment service does not include post-judgment litigation or court appearances.
Contact a Texas lawyer to discuss options for settling with a judgment creditor
Tom Thomas Legal, P.C. handles settlement negotiations for Texas residents who owe payment to another party as a result of a judgment. Please call 855-898-3328 or contact us online to schedule a free initial consultation regarding your issue. Our firm has locations in Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, El Paso and Fort Worth.
