Connecticut Bank Levy After a Small Claims Judgment

When the Debtor's Money Sits in a Bank Account

A bank levy — Connecticut calls it a "financial institution execution" — lets you freeze and collect funds directly from the debtor's bank account. Among all the post-judgment tools available, this one tends to produce the fastest results: after service, the bank holds eligible funds under its statutory deadline, and non-exempt funds may be turned over after the review period.

The catch is that you need to know which bank the debtor uses. If you don't, start with post-judgment discovery first.

Two Different Forms: Natural Person vs. Business

Connecticut draws a hard line between individual debtors and business entities:

Form JD-CV-24 covers natural persons (individuals). It triggers federal benefit protections and Connecticut's statutory exemptions.

Form JD-CV-24N covers non-natural persons — LLCs, corporations, and partnerships. No consumer exemptions apply. The entire account balance is subject to the levy.

Filing the wrong form creates delays. If your debtor is a sole proprietor, they're still a natural person. If your judgment is against an LLC, use JD-CV-24N even if there's only one member.

The Execution Process Step by Step

1. File with the clerk. Complete Form JD-CV-24 (or JD-CV-24N) and submit it to the court clerk. The clerk verifies the judgment and issues the execution.

2. Deliver to a State Marshal. Hand the issued execution to a marshal, who serves it on the bank's main branch or designated agent.

3. Immediate hold. The bank must remove and hold eligible funds by the midnight deadline (midnight of the next banking day) after service, up to the execution amount plus applicable fees.

4. Federal benefit review (individuals only). Under 31 CFR Part 212, the bank examines the previous two months of deposits. Readily identifiable, electronically deposited Social Security, SSI, VA benefits, and Railroad Retirement payments are protected from the execution.

5. State exemptions kick in. For natural persons, CGS § 52-367b and § 52-352b protect the first $1,000 in the account automatically.

6. Debtor notification. The bank mails Form JD-CV-24A to the debtor. The debtor must return any exemption claim to the bank within 15 days of the mailing date; the bank forwards the claim to the court.

7. Funds released. If the bank receives no claim within that 15-day period, it pays the held funds to the State Marshal. The marshal applies the statutory 15% fee under CGS § 52-261(a)(6) and sends the remaining collection to you.

What Gets Protected

For individual debtors, several layers of protection apply before you see any money:

• Federal benefits: 100% exempt — readily identifiable electronic Social Security, SSI, VA, and Railroad Retirement deposits identified in the two-month lookback
• First $1,000: Automatically protected under Connecticut statute
• Wages: Recently deposited wages may carry their own garnishment exemption

Business accounts under Form JD-CV-24N have none of these protections. The full balance gets frozen and turned over once the execution is processed.

When You Don't Know the Bank

If you don't know where the debtor banks, you have two formal discovery routes:

Post-judgment interrogatories under CGS § 52-351b — written questions served on the debtor requiring them to disclose bank accounts under oath, with 30 days to respond.

Debtor examination using Form JD-CV-54 — a court hearing where the debtor testifies under oath about their finances. If they don't show up after proper marshal service, the court can issue a capias warrant.

Costs and Timing

Each bank-execution application carries a $105 statutory fee, separate from the original small-claims filing fee; the fee may be recoverable as a taxable cost. The marshal also charges service fees, and the commission is deducted from collected funds before the net is sent to you.

From filing to receiving funds, expect roughly 3–6 weeks if everything goes smoothly — longer if the debtor files an exemption claim that requires a hearing.

For a complete walkthrough of every enforcement tool available in Connecticut, from bank levies to wage executions and property liens, the Collecting a Small Claims Judgment in Connecticut guide maps the full process with forms, fees, and decision points.

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