First, you should file the judgment in EACH county where the debtor resides or owns real property. Magistrate judgments are tricky, as they may or may not act as a lien because credit reporting agencies do not always recognize them on credit reports. You would then move forward with a writ of execution, seizing bank accounts, levying on personal property, etc. Depending on the amount of money at issue, it may be wise to hire an attorney to handle it for you to ensure that this is all done correctly.
You will need to wait out the appeal period first. Then ask the DJ for a certified copy of the judgment, which you can file in the county where the magistrate is located, assuming the debtor lives there. You can then use the sheriff to levy on bank accounts, and personal property, but the nuances of doing this usually require and experienced collection attorney. Hopefully, there is enough involved to make it worth your while.
Execution is the next step. After 30 days you can execute at the magistrate level if you like but I recommend getting a certified copy and filing the judgment in the county court to create a lien on any of the debtor's real property in the county. Once that is done you see the county sheriff about executing on personal property or send writs of execution to attach bank accounts. You should probably contact the local bar association and week a consultation with a lawyer to at least assist you.
