Debtor Ignoring a Judgment in Kentucky

A judgment debtor who ignores a court order is not breaking the law by failing to pay — there is no debtor's prison in Kentucky. But the court system gives you tools to reach their income and property directly, without their cooperation. The trick is knowing which tools apply to the debtor's situation and filing them in the right order.

Start with a Written Demand

After the 10-day appeal window (KRS 24A.340) expires, send a written demand specifying the case number, total owed (principal + costs + interest at 6% per annum under KRS 360.040 for judgments entered on or after June 29, 2017), and instructions for paying through the Circuit Court Clerk or directly to you.

Many debtors ignore the judgment because they assume nothing will happen. A demand letter showing specific knowledge of the enforcement tools available — garnishment, bank levies, property seizure — can motivate voluntary payment. Some pay at this stage rather than deal with an employer receiving garnishment papers.

Find Out What They Have

If the demand produces nothing, serve post-judgment interrogatories under Civil Rule 69.02. These written questions, served directly on the debtor, require disclosure under oath of employers, bank accounts, real property, and vehicles. The debtor has 30 days to respond.

If they ignore the interrogatories — which debtors who are ignoring the judgment entirely often do — file Form AOC-198 to compel answers. The Clerk schedules a hearing, and the debtor faces a show-cause order. Continued refusal to answer can result in civil contempt.

Use Garnishment to Go Around the Debtor

The point of wage and bank garnishment is that they bypass the debtor entirely. A wage garnishment (Form AOC-150) goes directly to the employer, who is legally required to withhold up to 25% of the debtor's disposable earnings and send the money to the court. A bank garnishment (Form AOC-150.1) freezes the account balance at the debtor's bank.

Neither tool requires the debtor's participation or agreement. The employer and the bank respond to court orders whether the debtor cooperates or not.

If You Know They Have Property

For debtors with identifiable non-exempt personal property — a vehicle with equity above the $2,500 exemption, equipment, inventory — Form AOC-135 (Execution Order) directs the sheriff to seize and sell it. For real property, a judgment lien recorded with the County Clerk under KRS 426.720 blocks any sale or refinance until the judgment is satisfied.

The 15-Year Window

Kentucky judgments remain enforceable for 15 years from entry (KRS 413.090). A debtor who has nothing today may get a job, open a bank account, or buy property within that window. Filing a judgment lien early secures your position against future real estate transactions.

The debtor ignoring the judgment does not make the judgment go away. It makes the collection timeline longer, but the legal tools are designed exactly for debtors who will not pay voluntarily.

The Kentucky Small Claims Judgment Collection Guide lays out the complete enforcement sequence — what to try first, what to escalate to, and how to track the balance across multiple partial collections.

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