What is required before a court can seize a person's property to secure a judgment?

Before a court can seize a person's property to secure a judgment, an attachment bond is required. This bond serves as a security for the potential damages the defendant may suffer if it turns out that the attachment was wrongfully made. Essentially, the bond is designed to protect the defendant's property rights, ensuring that if the court later determines that the seizure was inappropriate, there are funds available to compensate the affected party.

An attachment bond is crucial in situations where a creditor seeks to secure a claim before a full trial occurs. By requiring this bond, the court aims to balance the interests of both the creditor seeking to secure their judgment and the property owner who could unjustly lose their assets.

In contrast, while garnishment bonds, surety bonds, and mortgage bonds serve important roles in different contexts, they do not pertain specifically to the preemptive seizure of property to secure a judgment. A garnishment bond relates to the process of garnishing a debtor's wages or bank account after a judgment has been made, surety bonds are typically used as a guarantee for the performance of certain duties or contracts, and mortgage bonds involve a security interest in property as collateral for a loan.