Domesticating Foreign Judgments in Massachusetts
In many cases, winning a lawsuit against a debtor is only the first step in what can prove to be a long process of enforcing the judgment and finding assets sufficient to satisfy the claim. To learn how an experienced collections attorney can help you enforce an out-of-state judgment against a debtor in Massachusetts, contact Gannett & Associates in Boston.
Whether won in state or federal court, a judgment can initially only be enforced against assets that can be found within the jurisdiction where the judgment was obtained. A New York creditor can often win a default judgment against an out-of-state debtor in the courts of New York State, typically under the debtor’s contractual consent to jurisdiction and a choice-of-forum clause. If the debtor lives or does business elsewhere, however, the judgment is only as good as the value of the debtor’s assets in New York. There probably aren’t any.
Call (617) 367-0606 for advice about out-of-state collections in Boston
At Gannett & Associates, we work with out-of-state collections clients who need help enforcing and liquidating judgment claims against a Massachusetts business or individual. We are thoroughly familiar with the procedures involved with the domestication of foreign judgments — the technical phrase for filing out-of-state judgments in another state’s judgment records for local collection.
We can advise you about domesticating foreign judgments. The true value of our law firm’s collections experience lies in our skill in locating assets, tracing assets through a series of transfers, and establishing liability against successor entities set up to walk away from a predecessor’s debts while retaining the use of its assets. We can even enforce your claim in bankruptcy.
We work with sellers, lenders, fraud victims and other judgment creditors whose debtors have enough of a connection to Massachusetts to justify locating and proceeding against assets here. Richard Gannett is also licensed to practice in Illinois, and can apply the same out-of-state judgment collection techniques in the Greater Chicago area.
To learn more about our ability to help you enforce an out-of-state judgment against a Massachusetts or Illinois debtor, contact a knowledgeable collections lawyer at Gannett & Associates in Boston.
