Colorado Judgment Collection Timeline: Your Post-Judgment Enforcement Roadmap

Colorado doesn't hand you a calendar after you win a small claims judgment. The court enters the award, and from that moment you're on a six-year clock under C.R.S. § 13-52-102 to collect — with every enforcement step, deadline, and filing fee falling on you to manage.

Here's the timeline that most successful Colorado judgment creditors follow, stage by stage.

Day 0–14: Appeal Window and Immediate Rights

The judgment is entered. Under C.R.C.P. 518, the debtor has 14 days to file a Notice of Appeal. But filing an appeal doesn't automatically stop you from enforcing. The debtor must also post a supersedeas bond — set at 125% of the total judgment including interest and costs — and get the court to approve a stay order.

If no stay is granted, you can begin enforcement immediately. Most creditors use this window to send a written payment demand: state the judgment amount, the 8% annual statutory interest rate, and a deadline for payment. It costs nothing and sometimes works.

Day 14–30: Asset Discovery

If the debtor doesn't pay voluntarily, you need to find out what they own. File interrogatories — JDF 252A/B for small claims or Pattern Interrogatories (JDF 105 SC for individuals, JDF 108 SC for businesses). The debtor has 14 days after receiving the interrogatories to answer under oath, disclosing employment, bank accounts, real property, and vehicles.

If they don't respond within 14 days, escalate to a contempt citation under C.R.C.P. 307 and 369.

Day 30–60: Select and Deploy Enforcement Tools

Once you have asset information, pick the right tool for what's available:

Wage garnishment (Form 26). If the debtor is employed, file a Writ of Continuing Garnishment. Once served on the employer, it captures the nonexempt portion of each paycheck for 182 days. Colorado protects the greater of 80% of disposable earnings or 40 times the state minimum wage ($15.16/hour in 2026, making the weekly floor $606.40).

Bank account levy (Form 29). If you've identified a bank, serve a Writ of Garnishment with Notice on the financial institution. It freezes funds immediately, up to the judgment balance. After the notice is served on the debtor, they have 14 days to claim exemptions (Form 30). The first $2,500 in account funds is exempt under C.R.S. § 13-54-102(1)(w), and federally deposited benefits (Social Security, VA, SSI) get automatic two-month lookback protection.

Real property lien. Request a Transcript of Judgment ($25 from the clerk), then record it with the County Clerk and Recorder where the debtor owns property. The lien attaches to real property the debtor owns or later acquires in that county for six years from the original judgment entry, and blocks sale or refinancing without payment of the judgment.

Personal property execution. For tangible assets — business equipment, inventory, vehicles with enough equity above the exemption — obtain a Writ of Execution from the clerk and deliver it to the county sheriff with a cash deposit for service, towing, and storage costs. The writ is valid for 90 days.

Day 60–182: Active Enforcement Period

During this phase, your garnishments are running. A wage garnishment on Form 26 withholds funds each pay period for its full 182-day term. You may have a bank levy pending the exemption window. Your judgment lien is working passively in the background.

Track every payment, court fee, process server charge, and interest accrual in a balance ledger. Colorado allows verified post-judgment costs such as court filing, transcript, process server, sheriff, and execution fees to be added to the ledger, and statutory interest at 8% accrues from the date of judgment entry.

If one garnishment doesn't satisfy the full balance, you can file additional writs — a new Form 26 after the first 182 days expire, or a Form 29 against a different bank. You can run multiple enforcement tools simultaneously.

Month 6–72: The Long Game

Some judgments take time. The debtor may be judgment-proof today but employed next year. Your recorded judgment lien catches future real property acquisitions. You can re-serve interrogatories periodically to check for changed circumstances.

The critical deadline: your Colorado County Court judgment expires six years from entry. If you haven't collected in full, file a motion to extend before that date. Once expired, it's gone.

Full Payment: Closing the Case

When the judgment balance, accrued interest, and taxable costs are fully paid, you must file a Satisfaction of Judgment (JDF 111) with the court and release any recorded liens. Filing JDF 111 updates the court docket but does not automatically cancel recorded land liens; record a separate lien release with the County Clerk and Recorder.

The Colorado Judgment Collection Guide consolidates every stage of this timeline into one document — forms, fees, deadlines, exemption thresholds, and tracking worksheets — built specifically for self-represented creditors enforcing Colorado small claims judgments.

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