Collect Small Claims Judgment DC — What to Do After You Win

The Court Won't Collect for You

Winning a small claims case in DC Superior Court feels like the finish line — until the debtor ignores the judgment entirely. The court enters the order, hands you a piece of paper, and that's where its job ends. Collecting the money is entirely your responsibility.

This catches most people off guard. The Small Claims Clerk's Office in Court Building B can help with filing paperwork and tell you current fees, but staff cannot give legal advice, choose an enforcement strategy for you, or chase down the debtor. You need to know the process yourself.

Wait Out the Automatic Stay

After a contested judgment is entered, DC Superior Court Rule 62(a) imposes an automatic 14-day stay on enforcement. During those two weeks, you cannot file any writs or begin garnishment proceedings. The clock starts from the date the clerk officially stamps and records the judgment on the docket — not the hearing date.

Rule 62(a)'s 14-day stay applies after entry of a judgment, including a default judgment. A motion to vacate does not itself change that stay; check the docket for any court order that changes it.

Use the waiting period to send an informal written demand. Include the court name, case number, judgment entry date, total amount owed, and a clear deadline for payment. While not legally required, a demand letter often prompts voluntary payment and documents that you gave the debtor a fair chance before escalating.

Find Out What the Debtor Owns

If the debtor doesn't respond to your demand, you need to discover their assets before choosing an enforcement tool. DC Superior Court Civil Rule 69-I gives you several options:

• Written interrogatories — formal questions about the debtor's employment, bank accounts, and property that they must answer under oath
• Oral examination in court — a hearing where the debtor appears before a judge and answers your questions about their finances under oath (file an application with the Small Claims Clerk, then serve the debtor at least 10 days before the hearing)
• Subpoenas to third parties — with court approval, you can subpoena banks, employers, or others who may hold records about the debtor's assets

If the debtor ignores an oral examination summons after being personally served, the judge can issue a bench warrant through the U.S. Marshals Service. The warrant compels the debtor to appear — it's not for debt imprisonment, which doesn't exist.

Choose Your Enforcement Tool

DC offers several enforcement mechanisms, and you pick the one that matches where the debtor's money actually sits:

Wage garnishment works when the debtor has a regular job in the District. You file a Writ of Attachment on Wages ($10 filing fee), and the employer withholds a portion of each paycheck until the judgment is satisfied. DC law protects low earners — for weekly wages, the attachment is limited to 25% of the amount by which disposable earnings exceed 40 times DC's minimum wage ($18.40/hour effective July 1, 2026).

Bank account levy targets the debtor's bank accounts. You file a Writ of Attachment on Other Than Wages ($10), and the bank freezes funds up to the judgment amount. You then have four weeks after the bank answers, or after its answer was due if it does not answer, to apply for a Judgment of Condemnation. The court may allow later filing on a motion made within that period; without a timely application or extension, the attachment stands dismissed.

Property seizure through a Writ of Fieri Facias directs the U.S. Marshals Service to seize and auction the debtor's tangible personal property. This requires upfront deposits for towing, storage, and auction costs, so it only makes sense for valuable assets.

Real property lien converts your judgment into a lien on non-exempt DC real estate the debtor owns. Get a certified transcript from the Small Claims Clerk and record it with the DC Recorder of Deeds. The lien remains in force while the judgment is enforceable and must be addressed to convey clear title, subject to exemptions and lien priority. Note that DC's homestead exemption protects unlimited equity in a principal residence, so a lien on a debtor's home may not yield much.

Know the Timeline

A DC money judgment is enforceable for 12 years from the date execution could first issue under DC Code § 15-101; time when enforcement is stayed is excluded. Before that period expires, you can seek revival for another 12 years.

Post-judgment interest accrues at 6% simple interest per year on the unpaid balance, and you can add recoverable enforcement costs (filing fees, process server fees, recording fees) to the judgment total.

When the Debtor Leaves DC

DC writs have no power outside the District. If the debtor moves to Maryland, Virginia, or anywhere else, you'll need to domesticate the judgment in their new state under the Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act. Get a triple-sealed copy of the judgment from the Small Claims Clerk and file it with the court where the debtor now lives.

Get the Full Enforcement Roadmap

Each enforcement tool has its own forms, service requirements, deadlines, and exemptions to navigate. Our DC Small Claims Judgment Collection Guide walks through every step — from the 14-day waiting period through wage garnishment calculations, bank levy procedures, property seizure, lien recording, and closing the case with a satisfaction of judgment. It includes printable worksheets for tracking payments and calculating interest so you don't lose a dollar you're owed.

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