When you think of the legal process you’ve probably heard of lawyers, judges, court reporters, and even courtroom artists. One never seen but whose role is equally important, is a judgment enforcement professional.
A judgment enforcer buys uncollected court-ordered judgments and then uses every legal means available to ensure the judgment is paid in full. It’s a fact that over 80% of court judgments are never paid. Paladin Legal Support has a 90% collection rate and works hard to make sure that every court-awarded money judgment we buy is satisfied.
We are often asked how to become a successful judgment enforcer. First, one should understand that this profession is hard work, stressful and requires strict adherence to ever-changing legal procedures and deadlines. In return, judgment enforcers enjoy both schedule and income flexibility. If you have an excellent understanding of civil litigation and enforcement procedures, have scrupulous attention to detail, and stick fiercely to deadlines, you already have many of the attributes that makes a good judgment enforcer.
In addition, judgment enforcement requires a lot of self-discipline to stay productive and focused through long solitary hours in a quiet atmosphere. On some days, everything in the world can be more interesting than work, but legally enforcing a court-ordered money judgment is highly detailed, deadline-driven work, so to be successful it’s critical to be extremely organized, with an excellent attention to detail and the ability to do through and tenacious research, as well as expertly select and prepare legal documents that conform to rigorous technical requirements.
An effective judgment enforcer also develops a thick skin. Judgment debtors are usually none too happy to be served with legal documents. They tend to be very upset when we use the legal system to force them to pay what they owe. A Judgment enforcer needs to let the debtor’s vitriol roll off their back and remember that the law is on the judgment enforcer’s side. The case has been adjudicated and the court has determined the judgment debtor owes the money. We are just enforcing this right.
Judgment enforcers enjoy working alone, and can balance solitary time with social time to avoid mental burnout. They keep their social calendars to off-hours to be at their best during their workdays. These professionals must have an excellent grasp of procedural law with regard to judgment enforcement. A strong command of the English language is also an absolute must. If you love staying abreast of procedural changes and all things legalese, a career in Judgment Enforcement is worth examining.
Many factors go into what makes a good Judgment Enforcement but the most critical is the ability to become an expert at legal procedure, be reliable, tenacious and always willing to learn in this challenging field. If you have the aptitude, expertise, and are willing to put in the effort, your reward will be a potentially lucrative profession that offers a wealth of satisfying work for years to come. If you would like to know more, a good place to start is the National Judgment Network.
