Under California law, if you are awarded money in a family law case settlement, you have the right to collect payment from your former spouse. The court will not do this for you. You can start collecting immediately as long as the judgment has been entered into court records and there is no suspension or postponement pending due to an appeal or any other legal actions. The following are some steps you can take to start the process of collecting your money.
First, give your former spouse an address where he or she can mail the payment. You can agree to take a smaller sum if he or she pays immediately but remember that you are forfeiting some of the money in this case. You can also make arrangements to have weekly or monthly payments mailed to you if he or she is unable to pay the full sum at once.
If your former spouse does not pay the amount by the date that the court has set, you can send him or her a letter along with a copy of the court order. In some cases, it can be a long and lengthy process to collect your money. In case you are unable to collect the money, you may consider looking in to a divorce lawyer who may be able to advice you on what needs to be done next. If you live in the South Bay or the surrounding area in Southern California, David Yamamoto can help you understand your options. David Yamamoto has been a divorce lawyer for over 25 years and has extensive experience and knowledge in divorce law.