A judgment debtor is also legally protected from harassment and public embarrassment by creditors. And don't talk about the debtor to others, with the exception of credit-reporting agencies and officials directly involved in your collection efforts. If you think in terms of years rather than months, you can develop a sound strategy that is likely to produce full payment of your judgment. Judgments last anywhere from three to 20 years, depending on the state, and you usually can renew an uncollected judgment indefinitely. Eventually, the debtor is likely to acquire some assets that can be used to pay off the judgment.
Timing is important in other ways, too.
For example, suppose the debtor gets paid at the beginning of each month and deposits the money in a checking account. If you try to collect at the end of the month, not only will you come up empty-handed, but you'll temporarily lose the collection fees you fronted. And the debtor is almost certain to move the account. If you have access to good self-help books that explain how to collect a court judgment, a small claims advisor or helpful court clerk, don't turn your judgment over to a collection agency or lawyer, unless a lawyer won the case and has a legal right to collect a fee. Farming out your judgment means you'll bid farewell to a third to a half of what you're owed.