As a small business owner, I understand the temptation of heading to civil court when invoices go unpaid for a length of time. But one thing I've learned over the years is that, when it comes to debt collection lawsuits, there is more to it than merely winning. Winning a debt collection lawsuit establishes a court record verifying the legitimacy of a debt and the debtor's obligation to pay it. It also grants access to certain collection tools that are not available to creditors without a judgment. So yes, civil court can be a very good tool for collecting from deadbeats. Yet winning does not guarantee payment. After Winning Comes Enforcement Sentencing follows conviction in a criminal court. But civil court works differently. Rather than sentencing, enforcement follows the court'...
Read More