Ace the 2026 New York Private Investigator Challenge – Uncover Your Future Success!

The statute that defines the attachment of wages in response to court judgments is garnishment. This legal process enables a creditor to obtain a portion of a debtor's wages directly from their employer to satisfy a debt. When a court issues a judgment in favor of a creditor, garnishment becomes a method of enforcement, allowing the creditor to collect the amount owed without the need for the debtor's consent.

Garnishment is specifically focused on seizing a debtor's income or wages, which differentiates it from other concepts like liens, which are claims placed on assets, or forfeiture, which implies the loss of assets without compensation. A judicial lien can also involve property and is not specifically focused on wages, making garnishment the most relevant and precise choice for defining the process of attaching wages due to court judgments.