Attachment is the legal term for a court order to seize a person or a person’s property. Attachment was used in England so long ago that no record of its beginnings exists. In early times, attachment provided a way of forcing a person to come to court. An officer would take the person’s horse, plow, or furniture. The owner had to go to court to get these goods back. Today, attachment is chiefly used against debtors. When a person claims to be owed a debt by someone who owns property, the property can be attached and held against the debt. If the person who claims to be owed sues and wins, the attached property is sold to satisfy the claim. In addition to attaching property, courts can issue orders to attach the wages of people who owe judgments ordered by the court. This form of attachment is also known as garnishment. For instance, a worker’s employer can be ordered to reduce the worker’s paycheck by a specific amount each paycheck in order to pay such judgments as child support, taxes, or outstanding court fines. Writs of attachment can also be issued against people. They are usually used in this way to seize a person who is in contempt of court. See also Contempt ; Debt ; Garnishment .
