How to Collect Your Judgment in Idaho

A Idaho judgment is enforceable for 5 years, and can be renewed before it expires. An Idaho money judgment is enforceable for 5 years from entry and may be renewed for additional periods by motion to renew filed before expiration (Idaho Code 10-1111). Note: a recorded judgment LIEN on real property continues 10 years from the date of the judgment for judgments entered on/after July 1, 2015 (Idaho Code 10-1110), a separate clock from the 5-year enforcement period.

Yes. Garnishment in Idaho can reach Lesser of 25% of weekly disposable earnings, or the amount by which weekly disposable earnings exceed 30x the federal minimum wage.. Exemptions: Standard federal-style protections plus Idaho exemptions (Idaho Code 11-603 et seq.): benefit income such as Social Security, unemployment, workers' comp, public assistance, and pensions is exempt. Debtor may file a claim of exemption.

Through Examination of judgment debtor (proceedings supplementary to execution) (Motion and Affidavit for Examination of Judgment Debtor under I.C. 11-501; Order for Examination of Judgment Debtor under I.C. 11-501 (Idaho Judicial Branch forms)) — the court orders the debtor to appear and disclose their assets under oath. After a writ of execution is returned unsatisfied (in whole or part), the creditor obtains a court order under Idaho Code 11-501 requiring the debtor to appear and answer under oath about property. The debtor cannot be required to appear outside the county of residence. The creditor may also examine third parties who owe the debtor (I.C. 11-504).

Record a transcript or abstract of the judgment (certified by the clerk) with the county recorder in any county where the debtor owns real property (Idaho Code 10-1110); the lien attaches from the time of recording. The abstract must contain the court/case title and number, names of creditors and debtors, time of entry, and amount. The lien lasts 10 years.

You pay the court and sheriff their own filing/levy fees directly (usually modest, and recoverable from the debtor). Our Judgment Collection service is a flat $299 — we prepare your Idaho-specific enforcement forms and a step-by-step filing playbook; you file them. Compared with collection firms that take 33–50% of what they recover, that's hundreds to thousands less on a typical judgment.

Some debtors are "judgment-proof" — no job, no bank account, no equity — and no tool can squeeze money that isn't there. The honest play is the debtor's exam to confirm what exists, then keep the judgment alive (it lasts 5 years and is renewable) and try again when their situation changes. We give you the tools, not a guaranteed payout.