How to Collect a Judgment in Pennsylvania: 5 Proven Steps for Creditors

Winning a lawsuit is only half the battle. The real challenge? Actually collecting the money you’re owed. In Pennsylvania, the law provides creditors with powerful tools to collect judgments — but you need to know how to use them effectively.

At Flaherty Fardo Rogel & Amick, we’ve spent over 25 years helping businesses, lenders, and individuals turn court victories into actual recoveries. Whether you’re a business owner chasing unpaid invoices or an attorney enforcing a foreign judgment, this step-by-step guide explains how to collect a judgment in Pennsylvania — from filing to bank levies to sheriff sales.

✅ The Goal: Get Paid — Not Just Sue

Before diving into enforcement tactics, remember: a debtor who’s willing to pay voluntarily is always your best outcome.

• Consider structured settlements or installment payments.
• A debtor who begins paying is essentially funding their own enforcement if they default.
• Be strategic — debt collection is about pressure and timing, not revenge.

But when a debtor refuses to cooperate, here’s how to proceed.

🔨 Step 1: File and Record Your Judgment in All Relevant Counties

Winning a verdict is not enough. You must formally enter and file your judgment with the Prothonotary’s Office in each Pennsylvania county where the debtor resides or owns property.

Why is this important?

• Only judgments filed in a specific county act as automatic liens on real estate in that county.
• If you skip a county, the judgment won’t attach to any property there — even if the debtor owns valuable real estate.

Pennsylvania has 67 counties, and if your debtor owns land or assets in multiple jurisdictions, your judgment must be domesticated in each one.

🔎 Pro tip: Use credit reports, title searches, or public property databases to investigate the debtor’s asset footprint.

What counts as a judgment?

• A ^verdict is not enough.
• You must file a Praecipe to Enter Judgment per Pa. R.C.P. Rule 237.1 to officially convert your award into an enforceable lien.

How long does a judgment last?

• Pennsylvania judgments are valid for 20 years, but...
• They must be revived every 5 years to remain enforceable. Failing to revive means losing your ability to execute.

⚠️ Caution: Magistrate (MDJ) judgments under $12,500 may not appear on credit reports and don’t automatically attach as liens. File them in the county Court of Common Pleas to protect your rights.

📜 Step 2: File a Writ of Execution — The Key to Sheriff Enforcement

If filing your judgment doesn’t get results, it’s time to apply pressure. The next move is to file a Writ of Execution, which authorizes the county Sheriff’s Office to seize assets or property.

Where to file:

• First, file a Praecipe for Writ of Execution with the county court.
• Then, deliver the original, sealed writ (with the court’s stamp) to the Sheriff’s Office along with:
  • A Sheriff Instruction Sheet (varies by county)
  • Any required fees or forms

What can the sheriff do?

Once properly instructed, the sheriff can:

• Serve interrogatories on banks to freeze accounts
• Levy and sell personal property, including vehicles
• Schedule a sheriff sale of real estate

🔎 Execution requires detailed targeting — it helps to know where the debtor banks, what assets they own, and where they live or work.

🏦 Step 3: Seize Bank Accounts and Money Owed by Third Parties

One of the most effective ways to collect on a judgment is to freeze the debtor’s bank accounts or intercept money owed to them by others.

How to do it:

1. File your judgment.
2. Obtain a Writ of Execution.
3. Draft and serve Interrogatories to Garnishee (the bank or third party).
4. Direct the Sheriff to serve these documents on the garnishee.

Once served, the debtor’s account is frozen immediately — often triggering quick settlement.

💰 Example: If your judgment is $10,000 and the bank account holds $25,000, the entire balance can be frozen, not just the judgment amount.

What is a garnishee?

A garnishee is:

• A bank
• A tenant (if the debtor is a landlord)
• Any third party holding money owed to the debtor

Timeline:

• The garnishee has 30 days to respond to the interrogatories.
• If they confirm funds are held, you may proceed to collect (minus a $300 statutory exemption for the debtor).

⚠️ Note on joint accounts: You cannot garnish a marital account unless both spouses are judgment debtors.

🚗 Step 4: Levy and Sell Personal Property or Vehicles

If bank accounts yield nothing, the sheriff can levy and sell personal assets such as:

• Furniture, electronics, jewelry, firearms
• Tools, construction equipment, or vehicles
• Boats, ATVs, or business inventory

Procedure:

1. File the judgment in the county where assets are located.
2. Get a Writ of Execution.
3. Complete a Sheriff’s Instruction Sheet detailing the assets and locations.
4. Sheriff serves the writ and creates an inventory (levy).

Once levied, the debtor cannot move or dispose of the assets — doing so is criminal.

At the sale:

• Public bidders must offer at least the judgment + costs.
• If no one bids, you may purchase the assets for just the costs and resell them.

🔧 Plan ahead: Bring a truck or crew if you're taking possession of physical items at the sale.

🚨 Vehicle towing: You may be able to tow the debtor’s vehicle during the levy if no liens are present.

🏠 Step 5: Force a Sheriff Sale of Real Estate

If personal property isn’t enough, and the debtor owns real estate, you can force a sheriff sale of their property.

This is the most aggressive and expensive tactic — but also one of the most effective, especially if the property has equity.

Costs:

• Estimated $2,000–$3,000 in court and sheriff fees
• Title search and appraisal recommended to assess equity and identify competing liens

Why it works:

• Judgments filed in the county act as automatic liens on real estate
• A forced sale can:
  • Satisfy your judgment in full
  • Potentially result in you acquiring the property below market value

⚠️ Caution: If the property is underwater (i.e., has a mortgage or other liens that exceed its value), a sheriff sale may not be worth the cost.

📌 Summary: The 5-Step Judgment Collection Strategy in PA

1. File your judgment in every county where the debtor lives or owns property.
2. File a Writ of Execution to unlock sheriff enforcement tools.
3. Garnish bank accounts or money owed to the debtor by third parties.
4. Levy and sell personal property or vehicles through a sheriff sale.
5. Force the sale of real estate to satisfy large or high-value judgments.

📞 Get Help Collecting a Judgment in Pennsylvania

The debt collection process in Pennsylvania can be technical, time-consuming, and full of procedural traps. We help clients enforce judgments efficiently and strategically — whether you're local or out of state.

At Flaherty Fardo Rogel & Amick, we handle:

• Judgment enforcement across all 67 counties
• Post-judgment discovery and depositions
• Foreign judgment domestication
• Asset location and recovery

📧 Contact Attorney Noah Fardo directly at npf@pghfirm.com
📞 Or call 412-802-6666 for a free consultation

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Each case is unique. Legal representation is only established by written agreement.

‍