Florida Debt Collection
FAQs.
What does it take to turn an unpaid account into a judgment?
It starts with suit — we file, serve, and prove the debt to obtain a judgment, the instrument that unlocks every enforcement remedy that follows. We build the case to hold up under challenge.
The debtor moved assets to avoid paying — can that be undone?
Under Florida's fraudulent-transfer statute, transfers made to hinder or defraud creditors can be set aside and the assets brought back within reach. We trace the transfers and unwind them.
How do I collect from a debtor's bank account?
A writ of garnishment served on the debtor's bank can freeze and capture funds on deposit to satisfy your judgment. We locate the accounts, serve the bank, and hold the line through any claimed exemptions.
The debtor sold or reorganized the business — can I still collect?
Often, yes. When a business hands its assets to a successor to escape its debts, Florida's successor-liability doctrine can make the new entity answer for the old one's obligations. We prove the continuation and pursue the successor.
The judgment is entered but the debtor has hidden assets — now what?
Proceedings supplementary (Fla. Stat. §56.29) brings third parties who hold or received the debtor's assets before the same court, so a judgment on paper becomes money recovered.
Can I garnish a debtor's wages in Florida?
Once you hold a judgment, Florida law allows garnishment of a portion of a debtor's wages, within statutory limits and exemptions. We handle the writ, serve the employer, and work the exemption issues so the money reaches you.
What is a levy, and when is it the right tool?
A levy directs the sheriff to seize and sell a debtor's non-exempt property — vehicles, equipment, inventory — to satisfy your judgment. It's the tool when a debtor has assets but won't pay.
How do I find a debtor's assets when they won't disclose them?
Post-judgment discovery — subpoenas for records and depositions in aid of execution — compels the debtor and third parties to reveal where the money and property are. We map the assets before we move.
Can I recover specific property or collateral the debtor is holding?
Replevin is the action to recover possession of specific personal property or secured collateral wrongfully held by a debtor. We move quickly to take back what is yours.
Do you handle business-to-business collection accounts?
Commercial collections are core to our work. We recover what one business owes another across Florida — protecting the commercial relationship wherever it can be preserved.
I already have a judgment that isn't paying — can you enforce it?
A judgment is only as good as its enforcement. We take existing judgments and apply the full toolkit — garnishment, levy, proceedings supplementary — methodically until they pay.
I won a judgment in another state — can I collect on it in Florida?
Yes. We domesticate out-of-state judgments so they are enforceable in Florida, then pursue the debtor's Florida assets.
Do you represent insurers in subrogation matters?
We have represented insurance companies in subrogation for decades — pursuing recovery from the parties responsible for a loss your company has already paid.
Can you buy a portfolio of bad debt off our books?
Yes — Marcadis Law Firm purchases bad debt in blocks large and small, so you recover value now instead of carrying uncollectible accounts.
Do you collect debts owed by individuals, not just businesses?
We do — whether the debt is between two individuals or between your business and a customer, we pursue disciplined recovery without needless collateral damage.
I'm an attorney with a collection matter or unpaid fees — can you help?
Yes — we act as a collection attorney for attorneys, handling your clients' collection needs or your own unpaid fees.
Is settling ever the smarter play than litigating?
Often. Used strategically, a well-timed settlement resolves the matter and saves significant legal fees. We know when to press and when to settle.
What if the contract requires arbitration?
Mandatory arbitration is common in contracts and can be an effective path to payment. We handle debt arbitration, using third-party arbitrators to reach an enforceable agreement.
Our collection agency has hit a wall — what's next?
When an agency has exhausted its remedies, the matter escalates to a debt-collection attorney. We take it from there, working alongside your agency to get the account paid.
The debtor conveyed assets to a spouse or affiliate — is that reachable?
It often is. Florida gives creditors two statutes to attack fraudulent conveyances; we bring the action, trace the transfers, and recover the assets that were moved out of reach.
A vehicle secures the debt — can you handle the repossession?
Yes. Where a debt is secured by a vehicle, we use the levy and execution process to carry out the repossession and convert the collateral into recovery.