Sometimes the toughest thing in a collections lawsuit is simply getting the deadbeat into court. Or, if you do serve the papers, the deadbeat may avoid the court proceedings because you didn't sue the proper legal entity. Some deadbeat types are masters at setting up three or four corporations and keeping the creditor uncertain as to which corporation it is dealing with, and which corporation is holding the creditor's money. Suing the right defendant can be tricky even in a case that isn't a collection case, where the defendant isn't a deadbeat. The plaintiff, on appeal from the trial court's decision, argued that he meant to sue the right person, but just misnamed him.
Deadbeats always try to slow down the process.
They may beg you to give them more time. They may come into court telling the judge that they need time to hire an attorney. They may tell you the check is in the mail as soon as some third person pays them. The key for a creditor is to keep the pressure on. Remember, you are probably not the only creditor that a debtor is dealing with, and in many cases you won't know which other creditors are refusing to give more time.