Motion in Federal Court by Debtor to Hold Garnishing Creditor in Contempt

Once a petition is filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, it automatically operates as a stay of various actions against the debtor and the bankruptcy estate, such as the commencement of a judicial proceeding against the debtor, the enforcement against the debtor of a judgment obtained before the commencement of the bankruptcy case, or the enforcement of a lien against property of the estate. The automatic stay immediately suspends any lawsuit filed against the debtor and stops virtually all actions against the debtors property by a creditor or collection agency. It acts as an injunction against the continuance of any action by any creditor against the debtor or the debtor's property. Anyone who willfully violates the stay in the case of an individual debtor can be liable for actual damages caused by the violation and sometimes liable for punitive damages.