Hello,
I won a judgment against a business as well as its owner for $10k+ at the beginning of the year. At the time, the owner claimed broke because she lost another lawsuit and promised to pay me as soon as she has the money. I believed her and did not press for payment for most of the year.
It turns out there was never another lawsuit. She has plenty of money all along. In addition, I know for sure that her business recently received a couple large checks that each one is more than enough to cover the debt. When I contacted her to collect the judgment, she simply stopped responding. I sent her an information subpoena, and she returned it claiming both her business and she personally have absolutely no asset. I know it is a lie, as she might have simply transferred/hid her asset, assumed to her husband. She knows she is less than truthful as she did not even dare to sign or notarize the subpoena.
I want to seek advice on how to proceed to locate her assets so I can ask for an execution? Say I take her to court for contempt of court (failure to sign and notarize the subpoena), can I ask her to provide all financial transaction records in the past few years to court to show where she has transferred her business and personal assets? Can I add her husband to the lawsuit as his name is on their real property deed? (he was/is an officer of the business, but she claims that she is the sole owner now)
Should I try to hire a lawyer to help me collect this debt? If so, is there a law firm that you would recommend that works on reasonable contingency fee in NYC? What is the maximum allowed legal fee and interest I can add to the judgment?
I appreciate any advice you can offer.
I won a judgment against a business as well as its owner for $10k+ at the beginning of the year. At the time, the owner claimed broke because she lost another lawsuit and promised to pay me as soon as she has the money. I believed her and did not press for payment for most of the year.
It turns out there was never another lawsuit. She has plenty of money all along. In addition, I know for sure that her business recently received a couple large checks that each one is more than enough to cover the debt. When I contacted her to collect the judgment, she simply stopped responding. I sent her an information subpoena, and she returned it claiming both her business and she personally have absolutely no asset. I know it is a lie, as she might have simply transferred/hid her asset, assumed to her husband. She knows she is less than truthful as she did not even dare to sign or notarize the subpoena.
I want to seek advice on how to proceed to locate her assets so I can ask for an execution? Say I take her to court for contempt of court (failure to sign and notarize the subpoena), can I ask her to provide all financial transaction records in the past few years to court to show where she has transferred her business and personal assets? Can I add her husband to the lawsuit as his name is on their real property deed? (he was/is an officer of the business, but she claims that she is the sole owner now)
Should I try to hire a lawyer to help me collect this debt? If so, is there a law firm that you would recommend that works on reasonable contingency fee in NYC? What is the maximum allowed legal fee and interest I can add to the judgment?
I appreciate any advice you can offer.
