Sniadach v. Family Finance Corp.
United States Supreme Court
395 U.S. 337 (1969)
Relevant factsFree
Family Finance Corp. (plaintiff) froze Sniadach's (defendant) wages through a garnishment action under a Wisconsin statute permitting such freezes before any trial or hearing on the underlying debt claim; Sniadach moved to dismiss, arguing the pre-hearing wage freeze violated her due process rights, and the Wisconsin Supreme Court denied the motion.
IssueFree
Whether the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment requires a state to provide notice and an opportunity to be heard before taking a debtor's property, such as through prejudgment wage garnishment.