Collecting a Judgment

Criteria for Collecting a Judgment

You need to make sure to collect your money before your judgment expires:

• If you were awarded a money judgment in county court, it will expire 6 years from the date of the judgment.
• If you were awarded a money judgment in district court, it will expire 20 years from the date of the judgment.

If you are getting close to the date that your judgment will expire, and you have not been able to collect the money, you can ask the court to extend the expiration date. You must do this before your judgment expires. See Extending the Expiration Date of a Judgment for instructions on how to get an extension.

Note: It is your responsibility to collect your judgment. The court will not do this for you.

Before Taking Court Action

Before you take court action to collect your judgment, ask in writing for the person (or business) that owes you money to pay what they owe. This is not something you have to do, but it may be a way to work things out without having to involve the court.

If the person or business that owes you money refuses to pay, you will need to take further action to collect what you are owed.

How to Start a Case

If you do not know any information about the person (or business) that owes you money, such as where they work, where they bank, where they own property, etc., follow the steps below to find out that information. For detailed instructions, review JDF 82 How to Collect on a Judgment.

If you already have all of the information you need, you can skip this step.

Note: Some courts have local policies that may be slightly different than the instructions below. Make sure to check with your local court as to their local policy.

County Court Process

If you do not know where the person or business that owes you money works, where they bank, where they own property, etc., and the case where you were awarded money is in county court, follow these steps:

1. Use the forms link above to download and complete Form 7 - Pattern Interrogatories (for a person) or Form 7A - Pattern Interrogatories (for a business).
   • These forms ask questions the person or business that owes you money is required to answer.
   • Fill out the information in the box at the top of the form (called the "case caption").
   • On the first line below the case caption, enter the name of the person or business that owes you money.
   • The person or business (through a representative) that owes you money will need to fill out the rest of the form by answering the questions.
2. Send the form to the person or business that owes you money. There are two ways you can send this form:
   • File the form with the court, and the court will send the form to the person or business that owes you money; or
   • You can arrange to deliver the form to the person or business that owes you money and file proof of service with the court. The process of arranging to have the form delivered is known as personal service. Self-Help Service of Process will help you understand how to arrange for personal service and how to return proof of service to the court.
3. Wait for the person or business that owes you money to send back his/her answers. He/she must file the answers with the court and send you a copy no later than 14 days after he/she receives the form. Once you get the answers back, you should have the information you need to collect your judgment.

Small Claims Court Process

If you do not know where the person or business that owes you money works, where they bank, where they own property, etc., and the case where you were awarded money is in small claims court, follow these steps:

1. Use the forms link above to download and complete JDF 252A Motion and Order for Interrogatories - Short Form, JDF 252B Motion and Order for Interrogatories - Long Form, or Form 7A - Pattern Interrogatories (for a business), then file the form with the court.
   • These forms ask questions the person or business that owes you money is required to answer.
2. The court will send the form to the person or business that owes you money, and they will have 14 days to send back their answers. Once the answers are received, you should have the information you need to collect your judgment.

District Court Process

If the case where you were awarded money is in district court, see Rule 69(d) of the Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure for information on how to send questions to the person or business that owes you money, which they are required to answer.

Decide How to Collect Your Judgment

Note: These are just a few options. You may want to talk to an attorney about all possible options for collecting your judgment.

If you are owed money, you are known as the Judgment Creditor. The person or business that owes you money is known as the Judgment Debtor.

Option 1. Garnishment

For information on how to have money taken from someone's wages, personal property, or other assets in order to pay what you are owed, refer to the Garnishments section.

Option 2. Lien

When you put a lien on the property of the person or business that owes you money, your money judgment attaches to the property; when the property is sold, you get paid out of the money from the sale. Follow the steps below to get a lien:

1. Ask the court for a Transcript of Judgment. This is a document with information about your money judgment.
   • There is a $25.00 fee to get this document. If you do not think you can afford the filing fee, fill out form JDF 205 Motion to File Without Payment and Supporting Financial Affidavit and JDF 206 Finding and Order Concerning Payment of Fees to request a waiver of the filing fee, or visit our File Without Payment section for complete information.
2. Take the Transcript of Judgment paperwork to the Clerk and Recorder's Office in the county where the person or business that owes you money owns property. Tell the Clerk and Recorder what property you want the Transcript of Judgment attached to (e.g., the address of the house). The Clerk and Recorder's Office may charge you a fee.

After Collecting Your Judgment

Satisfaction of Judgment

After you have been fully paid what you are owed, fill out JDF 111 Satisfaction of Judgment and file it with the court. You must sign this form in front of a notary public or court clerk. You can find a notary public by looking in the Yellow Pages, on the Internet, or by going to your local bank.

When you file JDF 111 Satisfaction of Judgment, it will let the court know that you have been paid everything you are owed and that the case is over.