Earnings garnishment is an action to collect an unsatisfied civil judgment for money damages plus statutory interest and costs, from earnings payable by the garnishee to the debtor.
812.32.Earnings garnishment generally.
Ch. 812: Garnishment · Last amended 1993 · Last verified July 15, 2026
In one sentenceSection 812.32 defines earnings garnishment as an action to collect an unsatisfied civil money judgment, plus statutory interest and costs, directly from earnings a garnishee owes the debtor.
Full Text of Section 812.32
Official Notes
NOTE: 1993 Wis. Act 80 contains Judicial Council notes. News Briefs: How do creditors, debtors and overburdened small claims courts get relief? 1993 Wisconsin Act 80.
Plain-English Summary
Section 812.32 states the purpose of the entire earnings garnishment subchapter in a single sentence. Earnings garnishment is an action to collect an unsatisfied civil judgment for money damages, along with statutory interest and costs, out of earnings the garnishee owes or will owe to the debtor.
That definition ties together the pieces the rest of the subchapter builds on. There must be a civil judgment for money damages already entered and still unpaid; the collection target is specifically earnings, not any other kind of property; and what the creditor can reach includes not just the principal judgment but the statutory interest and costs that come with it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is an earnings garnishment action under Wisconsin law?
Section 812.32 defines it as an action to collect an unsatisfied civil judgment for money damages, plus statutory interest and costs, from earnings payable by the garnishee to the debtor.
Does an earnings garnishment require a judgment to already exist?
Yes. The section describes it as a means to collect on an unsatisfied civil judgment, meaning the judgment must already be entered before this kind of garnishment applies.
Can an earnings garnishment reach more than just the original judgment amount?
Yes. Section 812.32 includes statutory interest and costs along with the money damages judgment as amounts the earnings garnishment can collect.
Does this section cover garnishing property other than earnings?
No. It is limited specifically to earnings payable by the garnishee to the debtor, distinguishing it from the general garnishment subchapter covering other property.
What kind of judgment can be collected through earnings garnishment?
A civil judgment for money damages that remains unsatisfied.
Amendment History
History: 1993 a. 80.
Source & verification. Section text and official notes are
reproduced verbatim from the Wisconsin Statutes, published by the
Wisconsin Legislature (Legislative Reference Bureau). Last verified July 15, 2026.
· Official source
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