Garnishment

Generally, garnishment is a court proceeding in which a creditor asks a court to order a third party who owes money to the debtor or otherwise holds assets belonging to the debtor to turn over to the creditor any of the debtor’s property (such as wages or bank accounts) held by the third party.

Garnishment is the withholding of wages for the payment of a debt. It is regulated by the Consumer Credit Protection Act, (CCPA).

A judicial debt-collection procedure whereby, at the suit of a creditor, the court orders a third person to hold, subject to the courts direction, money or property of the debtor in his or her possession.

A legal proceeding in which a debtor's money, in the possession of another (called the garnishee) is applied to the debts of the debtor, such as when an employer garnishes a debtor's wages.