Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Pennsylvania

Re: judgement in landlord tenant suit

A creditor from another state who has a judgment against a resident of California can collect on that judgment in California. All the creditor has to do is have the judgment "domesticated" in California. This process is relatively simple, although sometimes it can be expensive (i.e., the creditor will usually have to retain the services of an attorney licensed in California to accomplish the domestication). However, the creditor cannot simply "turn it over for sheriff's collection."

Once the judgment is domesticated, there is a wide variety of avenues the creditor can use to enforce that judgment. For instance, if the creditor knows where you work, it can "garnish" your wages; if you own real property (and have sufficient equity in that real property), the creditor can, apply to have that property sold.

That being said, a judgment debtor has a number of rights to protect them. For instance, Califonria allows judgment debtors to claim what are known as "exemptions." These exemptions protect certain property from creditors up to certain amounts.

In any event, if your creditor begins the process of domestication of its judgment, you will be notified by a California Court. Further, if the creditor attempts to execute on the judgment, you will also be notified, and given the opportunity to assert your rights.