Writ of Execution

A writ of execution is a court order authorizing the sheriff or marshal to seize a judgment debtor's non-exempt property, bank accounts, business inventory, vehicles, accounts receivable, and apply the proceeds to satisfy the judgment.

It is the workhorse tool of post-judgment enforcement. The creditor identifies the asset, the court issues the writ (county-by-county in California), and the sheriff levies on the property. Banks and employers must comply with the writ when it is served.

California's exemption statutes shield certain assets from execution, homestead value, basic furnishings, tools of the trade, retirement accounts within limits. We pursue writs of execution alongside debtor exams and skip tracing to convert paper judgments into real recovery.