CJE Forms Guide WA: Every Enforcement Form Explained

The forms used in WA judgment enforcement have names like "CJE Form 6" and "CJE Form 24" — titles that tell you nothing about what they do. If you are trying to enforce a Magistrates Court judgment and staring at the eCourts Portal wondering which form to file, this guide matches each form to its purpose.

All CJE forms are prescribed under the Civil Judgments Enforcement Act 2004 (WA) and the Civil Judgments Enforcement Regulations 2005. Most are filed through the eCourts Portal; a few are completed by the debtor or by third parties during the enforcement process.

Forms You File as the Judgment Creditor

CJE Form 6 — Application or Request to a Court

This is the workhorse form. Almost every enforcement application uses Form 6 — what changes is the type of order you select within it. On the eCourts Portal, you choose the specific enforcement action from a dropdown:

• Means Inquiry (CJEA s. 27): Summon the debtor to disclose their finances under oath
• Time for Payment Order (CJEA s. 32): Set a deadline for full payment
• Instalment Order (CJEA s. 33): Set up periodic payments
• Earnings Appropriation Order (CJEA s. 35): Garnish the debtor's wages through their employer
• Debt Appropriation Order (CJEA s. 46): Garnish a bank account or redirect a third-party debt
• Property (Seizure and Sale) Order (CJEA s. 69): Seize and sell goods or real property
• Property (Seizure and Delivery) Order (Part 5): Recover specific goods
• Default Inquiry (CJEA s. 29): Examine a debtor who has breached a payment order
• Warrant for Arrest (CJEA s. 90): Compel attendance of a debtor who failed to appear

Think of Form 6 as the universal application — the order type you select within it determines what happens.

CJE Form 24 — Application for Enforcement Order Against Third Person

Used in two situations:

1. Examining a company officer. When the judgment debtor is a corporation, you cannot summon the company itself. Form 24 lets you summon a current or former director or secretary to attend a means inquiry and produce the company's financial records.

2. Contesting a third-party objection to a DAO. If a bank or third party objects to a Debt Appropriation Order (using Form 20), and you disagree with their objection, you file Form 24 to have the dispute determined by a Magistrate.

Forms Filed by the Debtor or Third Parties

CJE Form 9 — Application for Suspension Order

Filed by the debtor to pause enforcement. The debtor must serve Form 9 and a supporting affidavit on you at least 3 working days before the hearing. If the court grants a Suspension Order, enforcement is suspended to the extent stated in the order.

You do not file this form — but you should know it exists because a suspension order can halt enforcement of affected orders, including active PSSOs. If a Suspension Order is granted, the debtor must serve a copy on the Sheriff or Bailiff to stop any seizure already in progress.

CJE Form 12 — Debtor's Request for Means Inquiry

The debtor can voluntarily request a means inquiry to propose a structured payment plan. This is less common than a creditor-initiated means inquiry but does happen when a debtor wants to demonstrate good faith and suggest affordable instalments.

CJE Form 20 — Notice of Objection by Third Person to DAO

Filed by a bank or other third party when they dispute that the debt or funds targeted by your DAO belong to the judgment debtor. Common reasons: the account is a joint account, the funds are held in trust, or the account belongs to a different entity with a similar name.

CJE Form 21 — Notice by Judgment Creditor Allowing Objection

If a third party objects to your DAO (via Form 20) and you accept their objection, you file Form 21. The targeted funds are released and you pursue other assets instead.

CJE Form 28 — Notice of Claim Against Property Seized

Filed by a third party who claims ownership of goods the bailiff has seized under a PSSO. This triggers the interpleader process — if you contest the claim, the dispute goes before a Magistrate.

CJE Form 38 / 38A / 38B — Statement of Financial Affairs

These are completed by the debtor, not by you:

• Form 38: Individual debtor's financial statement (income, assets, debts, expenses)
• Form 38A: Corporate debtor's financial statement (filed by a company officer)
• Form 38B: Affidavit of financial affairs (used when illness or special circumstances prevent attendance, permitted by court order)

The debtor brings the completed form to the means inquiry hearing. The information in it is your roadmap for choosing the right enforcement tool.

Fee Reduction Forms

CJE Regulations Form 3 — Small Business / Non-Profit Declaration

Entitles eligible small businesses and non-profit associations to reduced corporate court fees.

CJE Regulations Form 4 — Application to Remit Fees

For individuals without a concession card who are experiencing financial hardship and cannot afford standard filing fees.

The Practical Sequence

For a typical enforcement case, the form sequence looks like this:

1. Form 6 (Means Inquiry) — find out what the debtor has
2. The debtor brings Form 38 — their financial statement
3. Form 6 (Instalment Order) — court sets payment terms based on the inquiry
4. If the debtor defaults: Form 6 (Default Inquiry / Cancel Instalment Order)
5. Form 6 (EAO or DAO or PSSO) — the order that matches the debtor's assets

For corporate debtors, substitute Form 24 for the initial means inquiry to summon a company officer.

The complete WA judgment enforcement guide walks through each form in context, showing exactly when to file it, what fee applies, and what happens after the court processes it.

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