A Real-Life Fractured Fairy Tale
September 2004
Once upon a time (January 11, 1996) we obtained a judgment for $857.00 against a debtor. This alone was an accomplishment since he moved frequently and was difficult to locate. Despite being ordered by a judge on several occasions to make monthly payments, the debtor continued to ignore his obligations. He had learned from experience in other cases that nothing further
would be done to enforce the judgment.
He was wrong.
When it became apparent we would not give up, the debtor notified us that he had become disabled due to a spinal injury (not true). Later, he contacted us to say he lost a leg in an accident and could no longer work (not true). Finally, we received a call from a person claiming to be his father to inform us that the debtor had died (not true). Actually, the debtor’s father, with the same name, had died. We later learned that he (the one-legged dead guy with a spinal injury) was living in Rhode Island. However, his mother lived in Massachusetts (and what good son wouldn’t visit his mother on occasion?). When he (the one-legged dead guy with a spinal injury) visited mom in Massachusetts last week, our team of hardworking constables and sheriffs were able to seize his truck. Before he (the onelegged dead guy with a spinal injury) could get his truck back, he had to pay the full judgment, which, through the magic of compound interest, was now $1407.00, plus the seizure, towing and storage charges of $600.00.
He really needed that truck.
His (the one-legged dead guy with a spinal injury) payment-in-full was received within 24 hours—another happy ending (at least for our client).
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