Freezing orders – a strategic move by a plaintiff

A victory in court is hollow if a defendant has hidden or dissipated assets and is unable to pay the judgment debt.

In brief: A victory in court is hollow if a defendant has hidden or dissipated assets and is unable to pay the judgment debt. A useful tool in a plaintiff's arsenal is a freezing order – an order by the court that a defendant cannot deal with specific assets up to the amount claimed by you.

What you need to know:

• When you bring proceedings against a defendant you need to consider the commercial reality of the situation as well as the legal merits of your case.
• Although they are not granted lightly, freezing orders are an effective method of ensuring that a defendant has sufficient assets to satisfy any judgment amount ordered against it.