This source does not apply to every judgment debtor. But it applies to many, and where it applies, it is a gold mine of facts and information that can make it much easier to enforce a judgment. This treasure trove is none other than an ex-spouse of the debtor. I have found that it is quite common to find that the same louses that we won our lawsuits against are also very often seen as louses by their former spouses. The ex-spouse can help make judgment collecting a rewarding experience for the judgment creditor.

I have made it a point to contact the spouses and establish a rapport with them. It is normally quite simple for me to get them to open up and tell you all kinds of stuff about the bum. Much of it is stuff that you probably wouldn’t find out from any other person. Some of the info they share would be costly or more difficult to discover from other sources.

When I first contact the debtor’s ex it is wise for me to tread slowly and carefully. I usually let the spouse know what the judgment debtor did wrong. I let them know that I am in a real pickle. I let them know in a very humble way that I need help. Chances are, they know what it’s like to be in a bad situation caused by their ex. Before you know it, they will start spilling their guts telling you everything in the world about the bum.

They will often be a great source of info on how to locate my judgment debtor. They usually will know where he works. It is not uncommon for them to tell me where the jerk banks or maintains other assets.

If the couple had children, exes will almost always remain involved in their children’s lives in some way. Because of this fact, the ex-spouse will almost always know current valuable facts that can help my investigation. If the debtor has been sending child support, alimony, other funds to the ex, you can bet they know banking information. I make it a point not to ask for banking information, they will volunteer that info.

I let them know what a big help they have been. I make sure that I show gratitude for their help. I thank them for listening to my problem with the deadbeat. The fact is, I am the one who does most of the listening. Because they have had their own serious problems with my judgment debtor, I guess it makes them feel good to provide some assistance to me. They know what a louse he or she really is and enjoy seeing him have to pay for his wrongs.

When collecting a judgment, one of the first things that I want to discover about a judgment debtor is who are the ex-spouses. Then I want to see how can I contact them in my post judgment investigation. Don’t underestimate the value of this information source. It can be golden!