In by ombudsman

A complainant contacted the Ombudsman after part of her PFD was garnished to satisfy a debt in small claims court. The complainant believed that the debt had been satisfied the previous year when part of her PFD was garnished. She had contacted the Ombudsman then and had even received a partial refund after the court system audited the case. She was upset that part of her PFD had been taken again. The Ombudsman contacted the court system and learned that the judgment creditor had not filed a satisfaction of judgment after the case had been audited the previous year. A court system employee subsequently contacted the creditor and learned that he believed he was still entitled to claim some fees from the complainant. The court system employee disagreed and convinced the creditor to drop his claim to the fees and file a satisfaction of judgment. The court system refunded the complainant’s PFD. (J2016- 0152)