Frequently Asked Questions

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 their debt.

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: 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 assets 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 more for enforcement procedures. And, we have resources that collection agencies will never have.

Q:  What about using a collection agency? Are you a collection agency?       

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: Why shouldn’t I use an attorney to collect my judgment?

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: How long is my judgment good for?

A: Call us and our investigation 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.

Q: Okay, what should I do now?

Here at BJRS we understand that all judgments are unique and equally important in their own way. Therefore, if your questions are not completely answered by the following list, please feel free to contact us regarding your judgment.

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 money. If we don’t collect, it still costs you nothing. 

Q: Must I pay for the expenses incurred in enforcing my judgment? How much will it cost me, really?

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: Is there any guarantee you will collect on my judgment?