06 · Federal SCRA protection
Courts & collections
Find safeguards for court decisions entered without you, case pauses, wage garnishment, and legal deadlines—with urgent help where needed.
4 protections in this areaWhat may apply
Protections worth checking
Protection before some court decisions are entered without you
Possible pause in a civil or administrative case
Possible pause in judgment collection or wage garnishment
More time for some legal deadlines during service
Federal protections, one by one
The full records for this topic.
Open any protection to see what it may do, when it may fit, what to do next, and the official source.
05Credit cards, loans, and financed property
Protecting the member's share of personal property
Understand the issue
Credit cards, loans, and financed property
Protecting the member's share of personal property
After a court pauses a covered case involving personal property, it may order an appraisal and require the member's share of the property's value to be paid before the property is taken.
A court has paused a covered case involving personal property.
This protection is handled in court.
Understand the issue → gather payment and value records → get help
The refund estimate is not built for court matters or time-sensitive threats. If someone is trying to foreclose, evict, repossess, garnish wages, or sell property—or you have a court deadline—start with DOJ help for servicemembers.
13Courts, collections, and custody
Protection before a court enters a decision without you
Check the case and deadline
Courts, collections, and custody
Protection before a court enters a decision without you
Before entering a default judgment, the person asking for it must tell the court what is known about the other party's military status. If that person appears to be serving, the court must appoint an attorney. Some default judgments can be reopened, but deadlines are short.
The member has not appeared in the case, or a default judgment was entered during service or within the covered time after service.
The court safeguards apply without a benefit request. Reopening a judgment requires a timely request to the court.
Check the case and deadline → gather your documents → get help now
The refund estimate is not built for court matters or time-sensitive threats. If someone is trying to foreclose, evict, repossess, garnish wages, or sell property—or you have a court deadline—start with DOJ help for servicemembers.
14Courts, collections, and custody
Asking to pause a civil or administrative case
Review the dates and required letters
Courts, collections, and custody
Asking to pause a civil or administrative case
A court must grant an initial pause of at least 90 days when a qualifying request explains how military duty prevents the member from appearing, when the member can appear, and why leave is unavailable.
The member is serving or left service within the past 90 days, knows about the case, and is one of the parties.
Ask the court and include a letter from the member plus a letter from the commanding officer.
Review the dates and required letters → get help
The refund estimate is not built for court matters or time-sensitive threats. If someone is trying to foreclose, evict, repossess, garnish wages, or sell property—or you have a court deadline—start with DOJ help for servicemembers.
15Courts, collections, and custody
Pausing judgment collection or wage garnishment
Check the urgent deadline
Courts, collections, and custody
Pausing judgment collection or wage garnishment
A court must pause collection of a judgment and stop or pause certain seizures or wage garnishments when a qualifying request shows that military service seriously affects the member's ability to comply.
The case against the member began before or during service, or within 90 days after service, and the court finds that service seriously affects compliance.
Ask the court.
Check the urgent deadline → gather your documents → get help
The refund estimate is not built for court matters or time-sensitive threats. If someone is trying to foreclose, evict, repossess, garnish wages, or sell property—or you have a court deadline—start with DOJ help for servicemembers.
16Courts, collections, and custody
More time for certain legal deadlines and reclaiming property
Estimate the deadline
Courts, collections, and custody
More time for certain legal deadlines and reclaiming property
For many covered court deadlines, time spent in military service does not count against the period to sue or be sued. It also may not count against the time allowed to reclaim certain real property after a sale. This rule does not cover federal tax deadlines.
A covered legal deadline or period for reclaiming real property runs while the member is in military service.
Raise the issue in the court or property proceeding. Do not assume the court clerk or another party will adjust the date.
Estimate the deadline → get help
The refund estimate is not built for court matters or time-sensitive threats. If someone is trying to foreclose, evict, repossess, garnish wages, or sell property—or you have a court deadline—start with DOJ help for servicemembers.
Where this comes from
Federal protections stay separate from additional institution benefits.
We base federal summaries on current federal law and official agency guidance. Additional benefits offered by a bank are labeled separately and do not change the federal protections.