what type of lawyer do i need for writ of garnishment in oklahoma

by Ali Mante DDS 7 min read

Full Answer

What is a writ of garnishment in Oklahoma?

Writ of Garnishment in Oklahoma. The original lawsuit on a debt or cause of action which resulted in a judgment in creditor’s favor was between the creditor and the debtor. The subsequent effort to enforce the judgment via garnishment is primarily between the creditor and the “garnishee,” which is the person, business,...

How can I get my money protected from garnishment in Oklahoma?

In Oklahoma, there are some types of money that are protected from garnishment by a creditor such as social security. This page has a list of those types of income. Bankruptcy. You can also file for bankruptcy to discharge the debt. One at a time (except if one of the garnishments is child support). You are protected from multiple garnishments.

What is the Statute of limitations on garnishment in Oklahoma?

There are two types of statutes of limitation to pay attention to in regards to garnishment. The first is for the debt on which garnishment is based, since if it's too late to sue, it is by definition too late to garnish. This will vary by cause of action; however, for common consumer debts in Oklahoma, the limitations periods are:

How do I file a claim for wage garnishment?

The Claim form is free if you file within the five (5) days Your employer or the bank, should receive a form called "Claim For Exemption and Request For Hearing" with the notice of the garnishment. Your employer should give YOU this form.

How do I fight a garnishment in Oklahoma?

How To Stop a Garnishment in Oklahoma. You can stop wage garnishment for consumer debt by paying the debt in full, working out a payment agreement with the creditor before your employer gets served with a wage garnishment notice, or letting the garnishment run its course. You can alsofile bankruptcy.

What are the garnishment laws in Oklahoma?

Under Oklahoma law, creditors can garnish the lesser of: 25% of your disposable earnings for that week, or. the amount by which your disposable earnings for the week exceed 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage.

What is the difference between a writ of execution and a writ of garnishment?

A garnishment merely freezes the debtor's property in the hands of the garnishee, but an execution requires the person holding the debtor's property to release it to the creditor.

Does garnishment require a court order?

Wage garnishment is a legal procedure in which a person's earnings are required by court order to be withheld by an employer for the payment of a debt such as child support.

How do you write a letter to stop wage garnishment?

Include in your letter what steps you plan to take to address the default, such as making a reasonable effort at a payment plan. Mention any circumstances that have changed recently to make your ability to pay off the debt more likely. This conveys to the creditor your goodwill toward satisfying the debt.

Does employer have to notify employee of garnishment in Oklahoma?

Employer Guidelines For Handling Garnishments Employers generally have to notify the debtor in writing that a wage garnishment is about to start before making a garnishment and sending payments to the creditor. The wage garnishment then typically continues until the debts are paid off or otherwise resolved.

What happens after writ of summons?

After the Writ is served The defendant may choose to settle or contest your claim after the Writ has been served on them. If the defendant wishes to settle the claim, they may contact you or your lawyer directly. Alternatively, you may be served an Offer to Settle by the defendant.

What is quash writ of garnishment?

A motion to quash asks a court to invalidate a previous ruling. For writs of garnishment, a motion to quash would state that the order to issue a garnishment was improper.

Can a writ of execution be quashed?

A writ of execution may thus be quashed when it appears that it has been improvidently issued, or that it is defective in substance, or is issued against the wrong party, or that the judgment debt has been paid, or when the writ has been issued without authority, etc.

What are the general steps should be taken when a garnishment order is received?

To start to receive the money, you must give the court clerk proof that you served the Notice of Garnishment on the debtor , garnishees, and co-owners. You can do this by filing your Affidavits of Service with the court. The court will hold your first garnishment payment for 30 days.

How do I stop a garnishee order?

Unfortunately a garnishee order can only be stopped by bringing an application to court to have the order stopped, or, if the judgment creditor informs the employer or garnishee that he no longer needs to deduct money from your salary.

How do you serve a garnishee order?

Send a sealed (stamped) copy of the garnishee order to the garnishee (for example, the other party's bank). You do not have to give a copy to the judgment debtor. If you are serving a garnishee order on a bank, you should contact the bank to find out their address for service of legal documents.

What is a garnishment proceeding?

Garnishment proceedings are an effective way of enforcing a judgment. But the Judgment Creditor must have good information regarding either where a debtor’s property is located or where a debtor is employed.

What is a garnishment in court?

A garnishment is when a court orders a third party to deliver money to the Judgment Creditor that would otherwise be owed to the Judgment Debtor. In a way, a garnishment is a method for a Judgment Creditor’s to intercept money that is on its way to the debtor.

How to garnish a bank account?

Garnishing a Bank Account. One method is to request the court issue a garnishment summons to a financial institution that is in possession of the debtor’s funds. The procedure involves filing a Garnishment Affidavit with the court clerk. The Garnishment Affidavit should state who the parties are and the outstanding balance of the judgment.

How long does it take to get a garnishment summons?

After filing the Garnishment Affidavit, the creditor then requests the court clerk issue a Garnishment Summons, which directs the bank to file a written response with the court within 10 days that states whether or not they currently hold any of the debtors money.

Oklahoma Garnishments and Bank Accounts

For some debtors, particularly those who are unemployed, or who may have significant assets in a checking or savings account, a judgment creditor may try to garnish a bank account. This process works in a similar fashion to a wage garnishment. First, the creditor must get a judgment in a lawsuit.

Impact of Oklahoma Garnishments

For many debtors, a wage garnishment is a devastating occurrence. Fortunately in a wage garnishment judgment creditor is only allowed to take 25% of disposable (post-tax) income. But a bank garnishment has no such limits. It can very well empty a debtor’s bank account to the last cent, wiping out hard earned savings.

Contact a Tulsa Bankruptcy Lawyer about your Oklahoma Garnishments

If you are facing Oklahoma garnishments a bankruptcy may help you stop this type of collection effort. The bankruptcy lawyers at South Tulsa bankruptcy lawyers offer their clients a free consultation about Oklahoma Garnishments.

How Can I Stop a Wage Garnishment in Oklahoma?

One way to stop a wage garnishment in Oklahoma is via the statute of limitations. Creditors in Oklahoma have to seek a garnishment:

Do I Have Options if the Garnishment is within the Statute of Limitations?

Yes. One option is to file bankruptcy. Bankruptcy is the court process allowing a business or individual to obtain relief from their debts. The goal of bankruptcy is to give a fresh financial start while being fair to the debtor’s creditors. Bankruptcy has two types of chapters:

How Can Bankruptcy Stop a Wage Garnishment?

It’s has an automatic stay. The stay allows a debtor to obtain instant relief from the garnishment.

Can the Automatic Stay Stop My Wage Garnishment for Child Support or Taxes?

No. A wage garnishment can’t stop the wage garnishment for domestic support and child support debts.

Should I Talk To a Lawyer About My Wage Garnishment?

Yes. If your wages were garnished by a creditor and you live in Oklahoma, contact a lawyer. Your lawyer will start working immediately to stop the wage garnishment. Your lawyer will also inform you of all the legal option you have for stopping the garnishment.

What is garnishment in a judgment?

A garnishment is a way for a creditor who has a judgment against you to collect the judgment if you do not voluntarily pay it. A garnishment allows a creditor to take money out of your employment wages or your checking account to pay your debt. A creditor MUST have a judgment against you before it can get a garnishment.

What do I need to bring to a hardship exemption hearing?

Your proof. You will also need to bring any proof of your income and expenses such as pay stubs, rent receipts, utility bills, car payment coupons. Bring proof only for your basic living necessities.

How much can a creditor take from your wages?

First, they cannot take more than 25% of your take-home pay. Second, a creditor must leave you with at least $217.50 a week or $870 a month in net (take-home) pay.

Can a judge consider other debts?

The judge will not consider any other debts to creditors who do not have judgments against you. If the judge gives you an exemption, it may only be good for a short period of time and you may have to apply for another exemption in the future. Last Review and Update: Sep 18, 2013.

Can you file for bankruptcy in Oklahoma?

This page has a list of those types of income. Bankruptcy. You can also file for bankruptcy to discharge the debt. One at a time (except if one of the garnishments is child support).

Enforcing a Garnishment and Judgement

Once the creditor gets their judgement they don’t simply sit on it. In the case that your payroll check is unavailable to be garnished they have other options. Creditors can take the judgement and enforce it against any property that you have. This includes bank accounts, tax returns or any other property they can find.

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

One of the best wage garnishment options is filing a chapter 7. The decision to file for bankruptcy is not one that you should make without careful thought and consideration. The negative remarks on your credit report that typically come with a bankruptcy filing can affect your life in the near term.

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

Another one of the wage garnishment options is filing a chapter 13. This form of bankruptcy works similarly to Chapter 7 in that once you file, it may place a temporary stop to any collection efforts. What this means is that filing for Chapter 13 may temporarily stop your wages from being garnished as your bankruptcy case progresses.

Additional Considerations

For both Chapter 13 and Chapter 7, the freeze on your wages being garnished is only temporary. Your creditor may be able to petition the court to have the freeze lifted under certain circumstances.

Oklahoma Bankruptcy Lawyer

Wage garnishment is a complex process. Fortunately, bankruptcy can get get you out from under the creditors thumb. Although the road that lead you to bankruptcy may have been stressful the truth is that bankruptcy is a wonderful solution to your finical problem.

Tulsa's Local Bankruptcy Lawyers

Are you looking for Tulsa attorneys who will fight aggressively for you? Our team of bankruptcy attorneys have the experience needed in Oklahoma law to secure the outcome you deserve.