Michael J. Lucas & Associates, LLC assists judgment creditors with evaluating and pursuing those enforcement options.
Citations to Discover Assets
Illinois citation proceedings allow a judgment creditor to examine the judgment debtor or certain third parties to discover assets, income, and financial interests.
A citation can also create restrictions on transfer of nonexempt property and may support turnover or other enforcement orders when assets are discovered.
Wage and Nonwage Garnishment
Depending on the debtor and applicable exemptions, wages or funds held by a bank or other third party may be subject to statutory deduction or garnishment procedures.
Strict notice, service, exemption, and calculation requirements apply. The existence of money in an account does not automatically mean all of it is available to satisfy a judgment.
Liens and Property
A judgment can potentially create or support liens against certain property when statutory requirements are satisfied. Real estate, personal property, business interests, and other assets may require different procedures.
Priority issues can also arise when other creditors, secured lenders, taxing authorities, or lienholders have competing claims.
Locating Assets
Public records, corporate filings, property records, discovery responses, bank information, employment information, and examination under citation can help identify collectible assets.
The cost of enforcement should be compared with the amount of the judgment and the realistic likelihood of recovery.
Judgment Debtors Have Exemptions
Illinois law protects certain income and property from judgment enforcement. A creditor must respect those exemptions and the procedural rights of the debtor and third parties.
The objective is lawful enforcement, not harassment.
Strategic Collection
Some judgments are collected quickly, while others require patience, installment arrangements, renewed investigation, or enforcement against business assets or third parties.
If you have an unpaid Illinois judgment, Michael and his team can review its status, identify available enforcement procedures, and help determine which collection tools are proportionate to the amount and circumstances.
Areas We Serve
Michael J. Lucas & Associates, LLC assists clients throughout Boone County, Cook County, DuPage County, Kane County, Lake County, McHenry County, and Will County.
Our office serves clients throughout Northern Illinois, including Addison, Algonquin, Antioch, Arlington Heights, Aurora, Barrington, Bartlett, Batavia, Belvidere, Bloomingdale, Bolingbrook, Buffalo Grove, Carpentersville, Cary, Chicago, Crystal Lake, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Downers Grove, Elgin, Elk Grove Village, Elmhurst, Evanston, Fox Lake, Fox River Grove, Frankfort, Geneva, Glen Ellyn, Glenview, Grayslake, Gurnee, Hanover Park, Hampshire, Harvard, Highland Park, Hoffman Estates, Huntley, Joliet, Lake Barrington, Lake Forest, Lake in the Hills, Lake Zurich, Libertyville, Lincolnshire, Lisle, Lockport, Lombard, Marengo, McHenry, Mokena, Mount Prospect, Mundelein, Naperville, New Lenox, Northbrook, Palatine, Park Ridge, Plainfield, Poplar Grove, Prospect Heights, Rolling Meadows, Romeoville, Roselle, Schaumburg, Shorewood, South Elgin, St. Charles, Streamwood, Sugar Grove, Vernon Hills, Waukegan, West Chicago, Wheaton, Wheeling, Wilmette, Winfield, Wood Dale, Woodridge, and Woodstock.