when a court issues a writ of execution a sheriff deputy sheriff or a court official is usually charged with taking possession of any property that is owed to the plaintiff if the property is money the debtor s bank account may be frozen or the funds may be moved into a holding account if real property is to be transferred the items can be transferred in kind or can be sold in a sheriff s sale funds from the sale may be given to the plaintiff to satisfy the terms of the court s judgment 
a nulla bona is the legal term used when a writ of execution results in an effort to collect but no available assets were available to be seized 