How do I place a judgment for collection?  There are several ways to do this.  1.  Click this link to the Easy Contact Form and enter as much information as you have; or 2.  Call us at 910.509.7241 and speak with a member of our staff; or 3. Send an email to tom.kerner@kernerlawfirm.com.  Once we receive and process your information, a member of our staff will contact you at your convenience. 


Do you accept all judgments?  No.  We first have to review your information, then engage in a preliminary analysis of the debtor and the debtor's assets.  If there are no "red flags" then we will contact you about proceeding with the enforcement process? 


Once you agree to work on my judgment, is there anything else I need to do?  Yes.  There is some paperwork you must fill out in order to enable us to begin the process.  First, you will need to fill out an Attorney-Client Representation Agreement that gives us the legal right to represent you.  You may also need to fill out an affidavit regarding Substitution of Counsel if you were represented by another attorney or law firm at trial.


How can I be sure that you are paying me what we've agreed?  The best way is to check with the clerk of court in the county where your judgment was entered.  Payments made on judgments must by law be reported to the clerk shortly upon receipt.  The clerk's office maintains a running balance of the amount owed on the judgment.  This is a public record.  There is no way for us to alter it.  If any part of the judgment is paid, that information becomes part of the public record very quickly. Therefore, you will always have the means to check on our progress without us knowing you're checking!


How much do your services cost?  I am completely up front about my fees, and we will agree on them completely before I start any work on your case.  You will have the option to pay hourly, on contingency (no recovery, no fee), by flat fee, or by some combination thereof.  My policy is this:  you name your fee.  There is always a way to work it out. 

Special pricing is available for the following:   institutional clients such as banks, lenders, property management companies, retailers, debt purchasers, car dealers, finance companies, and anyone else with a large number of judgments.  For clients such as these, we can tailor a fee based on the number and total dollar amount of judgments, our assessment of their collectibility, the history of previous enforcement and collection attempts, and the aging on your judgments.


Do I need an attorney?  No. But if you do attempt to collect the judgment yourself without an attorney, you will want to get my free report:  "The Biggest Mistakes to Avoid When Collecting a Judgment in North Carolina."  Call me at 910.509.7241, or email me at tom.kerner@kernerlawfirm.com to get your FREE COPY.