How to Collect Your Judgment in Maryland

A Maryland judgment is enforceable for 12 years, and can be renewed before it expires. A money judgment is valid for 12 years and may be renewed for another 12-year term by filing a Request to Renew Judgment with the court before it expires (Md. Rule 2-625 / 3-625). District Court filing fee is $10.00 per defendant (plus $15.00 per defendant if a lien was filed).

Yes. Garnishment in Maryland can reach 25% of disposable wages; and wages are wholly exempt if disposable earnings are less than 30 times the state minimum hourly wage for the week. Exemptions: Lesser of 25% of disposable wages or amount by which disposable wages exceed 30x state minimum hourly wage (Md. Code, Commercial Law § 15-601.1); Social Security, public benefits, and other statutory exemptions are protected.

Through Oral Examination in Aid of Enforcement of Judgment (CC-DC-CV-032 (Request for Order Directing Judgment Debtor or Other Person to Appear for Examination)) — the court orders the debtor to appear and disclose their assets under oath. File form CC-DC-CV-032; the court issues an order directing the debtor to appear in court to testify under oath about assets and income. Creditor has 30 days to serve the debtor with the order. (Note: oral exam may NOT be used to enforce a small-claims money judgment of $5,000 or less — for those, use the Judgment Debtor Information Sheet CC-DC-CV-114 or interrogatories.)

A District Court money judgment is automatically a lien on real property in Baltimore City when recorded there. For property in any other county, file a Request to File Notice of Lien (form DC-CV-035) to record the judgment as a lien in that county; Circuit Court judgments are automatically liens on real property in the county where entered. The lien lasts 12 years.

You pay the court and sheriff their own filing/levy fees directly — usually modest, and recoverable from the debtor on top of your judgment. If you hand the case to a judgment-recovery firm or collections attorney instead, expect them to take 33–50% of whatever they recover; doing it yourself with Maryland's own forms keeps everything you collect.

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 12 years and is renewable) and try again when their situation changes. We give you the tools, not a guaranteed payout.