Alex Jones must pay $1.1 billion of Sandy Hook damages despite bankruptcy - court

[melm00se]

26. This is all well and good

but, from past experience, let me tell you what will really happen:

Assets

Not all assets are attachable. While this action is taking place in federal court, there are states that have very large exemptions. Florida is one such state. Levying against real property in FL is damn near impossible because FL exemption protects up to 1/2 acre of real property in a city and up to 160 acres in an unincorporated county from property liens and forced sale. So if Alex owns a $10 million house on 1/2 acre, that is untouchable.

Additionally, any and all tax deferred retirement style accounts are also exempt from seizure. The reasoning behind this is that the state cannot force liquidation of an asset that would trigger a tax penalty. That is viewed as a conflict of interest.

Income

The federal government as well as states have minimum thresholds for wage garnishments. The federal government, for example, caps garnishments at 25% of a person's disposable income. There are some exceptions to this like child support and back taxes but those would not apply here. Additionally, not all states allow for wage/income garnishments.

Additionally, this applies to wages only. I have seen people live off credit cards where they are a user but someone else pays the bills. Creditors (even the federal government) cannot levy Sally's income/assets to satisfy Bob's judgment.

Asset ownership and location

Creditors need to prove that any levy targets are actually owned by the debor(s) and are legally attachable. That can be a significant chore when there are shell companies within other shell companies within even more shell companies layered with non-USA locations, entities and reporting requirements.

Those are just a few issues, there are tons more.

Professional deadbeats are expert at hiding assets. They play infinitely complex 3 card monte and shell games which confounds even the most expert forensic accountants.

The huge judgment against Alex Jones will probably see an immediate payment but after that? The money will never be found. Never be traced. Payments after the initial one(s) will be blind luck or if the debtor is incredibly stupid and gets caught.

The judgment and the creditors will see nothing more than nickels and dimes over the years and Alex Jones, while probably not living his previous high life, will continue to live a comfortable living.