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If you’ve had a civil case in court and another person (called the debtor) has been ordered to pay you money, but they haven’t, the court might be able to help you get the money.

Step one: Check

If the court order is over 6 years old, then learn about enforcing an order older than 6 years. Do you know the debtor’s address? If you do not, learn how to find the debtor’s address. If you don’t have the debtor’s address, the court might still be able to help you.

Learn about enforcing an order older than 6 years

Learn how to find the debtor's address

Step two: Apply to the court for help

You can ask the court to assess the debtor’s finances. The court will then choose how the debt should be paid. You can learn about: 

How the court can assess the debtor's finances on paper

Financial assessment hearings over the phone

Financial assessment hearings

Also, you can make one or more of the following applications. If you know who pays the debtor (salary, wages, or benefit):

Learn about deductions from wages or benefits

If the debtor has valuable assets:

Learn about asking the court to seize their property

If someone owes the debtor money:

Learn about garnishee proceedings

If the debtor is selling land:

Learn about stopping the sale until the debt is paid

Follow-up steps

Has the debtor not followed instructions from a financial assessment, even though they had the money to pay?

Learn about contempt of enforcement proceedings

Has a registrar made a decision about your application that you disagree with? If you have new evidence, consider making a new application. If you don’t have new evidence:

Learn about having the registrar’s decision reviewed

Return to Collecting civil debt: information for creditors

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