Effective Strategies for Collecting a Money Judgment from an Out-of-State Landlord

Question: Last year, our son began his college journey here in Arizona. He entered into a one-year lease for an apartment in a high-rise dormitory owned by a corporation based in Dallas, with a $1,700 security deposit. At the close of summer, our son cleaned the apartment and vacated. He and the property manager signed a document confirming that he would receive his $1,700 security deposit within 30 days. However, when our son did not receive the deposit after 30 days, he opted to take the matter to small claims court. He successfully obtained a recorded judgment for $1,700 along with court costs. We forwarded this judgment to the Dallas corporation four months ago but have yet to receive any reply. What actions can our son take now to enforce this judgment?

Answer: The good news is that you are nearing the end of this process. The next step is to “domesticate” the judgment in Texas, meaning you need to get a Texas judge to certify the Arizona judgment, followed by recording the Arizona judgment in Texas. Once the Arizona judgment is recorded in Texas, it will become a lien on the assets of the Dallas corporation, potentially resulting in a quicker payment.

Note: Should you need to engage a Texas attorney, it’s likely that a judge will order reimbursement for your legal expenses.

Reach out to real estate attorney Christopher A. Combs at chris@combslawgroup.com.