What Is a Writ of Garnishment?

In a previous blog post, we discussed the six types of prerogative writs. However, those aren’t the only types of writs out there. There are a variety of writs used for different cases and situations. Of those writs is a writ of garnishment. Here, we discuss everything you need to know about writs of garnishment.

Writ of garnishment – definition

Like other types of writs, a writ of garnishment is a court command. It is often aimed at third party financial institutions such as credit unions or banks that the defendant entrusted their assets to. When a court sends out a writ of garnishment to the financial institution, it is commanding the seizure of the defendant’s assets.

When might a writ of garnishment be used?

A writ of garnishment may be used when an individual falls behind on their debts. For instance, if you have student loans and fail to pay them, then your loan issuer will file a lawsuit for bank account garnishment. The court will then submit a writ of garnishment to your employer or whatever financial institution they use for your paycheck. As a result, your wages will be garnished in order to provide the loan issuer with the funds you owe.

How much can be garnished?

Generally, there is no limit to the amount a loan issuer or creditor can garnish from your bank account. So long as the money in your bank account qualifies for garnishment, the writ of garnishment can pull as much as is needed to satisfy your debts.

When delivering writs to lower courts, agencies, and officials, courts depend on process servers like those at Reliant Court Services. To learn more about our services, contact us today.