By: Robert J. Nahoum Who is Marshal Martin Bienstock? Martin A. Bienstock is a New York City Marshal (Badge No. 75) who works with debt collection law firms across New York City to execute judgments by garnishing wages and restraining bank accounts. NYC marshals are public officers appointed by the Mayor, but they are not salaried city employees and instead […]
Who Is Marshal Bienstock and How Does He Garnishee Wages in New York City?
Who Are the New York City Marshals in Debt Collection (and What Can They Do to You)?
By: Robert J. Nahoum Who Are New York City Marshals? New York City Marshals are independent public officials appointed by the Mayor to enforce civil court judgments, including consumer debt collection judgments in the five boroughs. They are not salaried city employees; instead, they earn statutory fees and a percentage (often called “poundage,” up to 5%) of the money they […]
How New York Debt Collection Lawyers Use Wage Garnishments (Income Executions) to Enforce Judgments
By: Robert J. Nahoum What Is a Wage Garnishment (Income Execution) in New York? In New York, wage garnishment is called an income execution and is governed primarily by CPLR §5231. An income execution is a court-backed order directing that a portion of a judgment debtor’s paycheck be withheld and paid toward a debt collection judgment. Before a creditor can garnish wages, […]
Judgment Creditor Restraining Notices and Bank Restraints in New York Debt Collection
By: Robert J. Nahoum Judgment creditors in New York often turn to restraining notices and bank restraints as powerful tools to enforce collection after winning a lawsuit. These mechanisms freeze a debtor’s assets, preventing access until the debt is satisfied. Understanding them is crucial for consumers facing debt collection lawsuits. What Is a Restraining Notice? A restraining notice under New […]
How Judgment Creditor Debt Collection Lawyers Use Information Subpoenas to Enforce Judgments in New York
By: Robert J. Nahoum When a debt collector wins a lawsuit and becomes a judgment creditor in New York, the real work begins: turning that paper judgment into money. An information subpoena is one of the primary tools judgment creditor debt collection lawyers use to locate a consumer’s assets so they can enforce a judgment through wage garnishments, bank levies, and property liens. What […]
New York City’s New SHIELD Rule: Stronger Protections From Debt Collectors and Medical Debt
By: Robert J. Nahoum New York City’s new SHIELD Rule adds strong limits on debt collector harassment, expands dispute rights, and creates first-of-its-kind medical debt protections. What Is the New York City SHIELD Rule? The SHIELD Rule is a new set of debt collection regulations issued by the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) that give […]
Can a judgment creditor garnish my tax refund in New York?
By: Robert J. Nahoum Short Answer A private judgment creditor with a New York judgment cannot intercept your federal or New York State tax refund directly, but once that refund is deposited into your bank account it can generally be restrained and levied like other non‑exempt funds, subject to New York’s exemption rules and special protections for certain government‑related “emergency […]
Murtha & Associates Files Nearly 3,000 Debt Collection Lawsuits in 2025 – What New York Consumers Should Know
By: Robert J. Nahoum According to data from the New York State Unified Court System, Roach & Murtha, which now often operates under the name Murtha & Associates, ranked among New York’s most aggressive debt collection law firms in 2025—filing 2,982 debt collection lawsuits that year alone. Who Murtha & Associates Represents Murtha & Associates regularly represents major junk debt buyers such as Security Credit Services, LLC, Accelerated Inventory […]
Municipal Credit Union Filed Over 2,100 Debt Collection Lawsuits Against New York Consumers in 2025
According to official data from the New York State Unified Court System, Municipal Credit Union (MCU) filed 2,115 new debt collection lawsuits against New York consumers in 2025. This surge underscores how even local, member‑owned credit unions are engaging in large‑scale debt collection efforts through New York’s courts. Municipal Credit Union is a New York City–based, member‑owned financial institution that serves public‑sector employees and their […]
Capital One Bank Filed Nearly 11,000 New York Debt Collection Lawsuits in 2025
According to official records from the New York State Unified Court System, Capital One Bank filed 10,903 debt collection lawsuits against New York consumers in 2025. This staggering number highlights the ongoing, large-scale efforts by major financial institutions to recover alleged consumer debts through New York’s civil court system. Where Capital One Filed Lawsuits in 2025 Breaking down the data by county reveals how widespread these […]