When a lawsuit is resolved by a judge or jury, the party who lost the lawsuit (the judgment debtor) generally owes the party who won the lawsuit (the judgment creditor) an amount of money—including the damages for the breach of contract, negligence, fraud, or other claims, plus interest owed on the amount of the judgment from the time the wrongful acts occurred until the judgment is paid (prejudgment interest and post-judgment interest), the amount of court costs, and possibly the amount of the judgment creditor’s attorney fees.

After the judgment becomes final (the deadline to file an appeal expires) the judgment creditor may seek to collect on the judgment using various legal methods such as property liens, wage garnishment/writ of garnishment, bank account garnishment/bank levy, writ of execution, attachments, turnover orders, property levies, contempt proceedings, and post-judgment discovery (interrogatories, document requests, depositions). These processes and the names for them vary from state to state, but all generally seek to (1) take cash owned by the judgment debtor to satisfy the judgment, or (2) force the sale of property owned by the judgment debtor, and use some or all of the proceeds to satisfy the judgment.

In North Dakota, once a lawsuit is resolved and a judgment is entered against the losing party (judgment debtor), they are typically required to pay the winning party (judgment creditor) the amount awarded by the court. This amount can include damages for various claims such as breach of contract or negligence, along with prejudgment and post-judgment interest, court costs, and possibly attorney fees. After the judgment is final and the appeal period has lapsed, the judgment creditor has the right to enforce the judgment through various collection methods. These can include placing liens on the debtor's property, garnishing wages or bank accounts, obtaining a writ of execution to seize assets, and conducting post-judgment discovery to uncover assets. The specific procedures for these collection efforts are governed by North Dakota state statutes and rules of civil procedure. For instance, wage garnishment is subject to limitations set forth in North Dakota Century Code (NDCC) and the North Dakota Rules of Court. It's important for judgment creditors to follow the legal process precisely to lawfully collect the debt, and for judgment debtors to be aware of their rights and any exemptions they may be entitled to under state law.