Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in New York
frozen bank account
i had a judgement against me for a business lease that held me personally responsible. now all bank accounts that have my name on them have been frozen. the joint account with my wife who is the sole provider of the account is also frozen. how long can they keep the account frozen? can they just take the judgement out of the account without my authorization even though i don't contribute to that account? the judgement is for $5750 and there is $5000 in the joint account. what legal rights does my wife have being that i'm responsible, not her?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: frozen bank account
You need to go to court and file appropriate papers for a hearing on the account. A joint account, at law, presumptively means that the money is joint and belongs to the both of you. Accounts are restrained for usually 2x the amount of the judgment. The money only comes out with a turnover petition...otherwise it remains frozen.
Good Luck
RRG