Maryland Judgment Collection Attorney Fees — What It Costs to Hire Help

You won a $3,500 small claims judgment and the debtor isn't paying. Hiring a collection attorney sounds appealing — but will the fees eat your entire judgment?

What Attorneys Charge for Judgment Collection

Maryland attorneys handle post-judgment collection in two main fee structures:

Contingency basis: The attorney takes a percentage of whatever they collect — typically 33% to 50% for small claims amounts. On a $3,500 judgment, that's $1,155 to $1,750 going to the attorney. You pay nothing upfront, but you surrender a large share of what's recovered.

Hourly billing: Rates for collection work in Maryland generally run $200 to $400 per hour. A straightforward wage garnishment might take 2–3 hours of attorney time ($400–$1,200). A contested bank garnishment with exemption disputes could reach 8–10 hours ($1,600–$4,000) — potentially more than the judgment itself.

Most attorneys won't take small claims collection cases under $2,000 on an hourly basis because the economics don't work for either party. For judgments under $2,000, contingency is the more common arrangement, but many attorneys decline those cases entirely because the contingency fee is too small to justify the work.

Can You Recover Attorney Fees From the Debtor?

In most Maryland small claims cases, no. Maryland follows the "American Rule" — each side pays their own attorney fees unless a statute or contract specifically allows fee-shifting.

There are exceptions:

• Contractual fee provisions: If the original agreement (lease, service contract, loan) includes an attorney's fees clause, you may be able to recover reasonable fees as part of the judgment. But this would typically have been included in the original claim.
• Consumer protection claims: Some Maryland statutes (like the Consumer Protection Act, CL § 13-408) award attorney's fees to prevailing plaintiffs. For a standard small claims money judgment, don't count on recovering attorney fees from the debtor.

The DIY Cost Comparison

Self-filing enforcement in Maryland District Court is inexpensive:

*An individual cannot be compelled to attend an oral examination to enforce a small-claims judgment.

Depending on the tool, venue, and service method, filing and service costs range from $15 to $110. The forms are available on the Maryland Judiciary website, and the District Court Help Centers offer free guidance (though they can't fill out forms for you or give legal advice).

When an Attorney Makes Sense

Consider hiring help when:

• The debtor is actively evading service or hiding assets
• The case involves complex exemption claims (tenancy by the entireties, federal benefit disputes)
• The debtor filed for bankruptcy and you need to navigate the automatic stay
• Your judgment exceeds $5,000 and was filed on the regular civil docket with more procedural complexity
• You simply don't have time to manage the filing, tracking, and monthly reporting requirements

For a standard small claims judgment where you know the debtor's employer or bank, filing garnishment yourself is straightforward and costs a fraction of attorney fees.

Our Maryland judgment collection guide walks through every enforcement step with the exact forms, fees, and procedures — designed for self-represented creditors who want to collect without hiring an attorney.

See more Maryland guides →