A garnishment is a means of collecting a monetary judgment against a defendant by ordering a third party (the garnishee) to pay money, otherwise owed to the defendant, directly to the plaintiff.  Garnishment is a drastic measure for collecting a debt.  A court order of garnishment allows a creditor to take the property of a debtor when the debtor does not possess the property.  A garnishment action is taken against the debtor as defendant and the property holder as garnishee.  Garnishment is regulated by statutes, and is usually reserved for the creditor who has obtained a judgment, or court order, against the debtor.