Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Pennsylvania

Re: unpaid personal loan

You have to sue him to obtain a judgment against him. Then you have to collect the judgment. If it is true that his assets are tied-up, then you may have to wait in line. If his debts are greater than his assets, then there isn't anything to recover right now, and you may end up chasing him around for a long time.

Of course, there is also the possibility that he's blowing smoke and simply doesn't want to repay you. If he owns real estate, there is a way to check and see if there are any liens on the property. That is probably a good first step before doing anything else.

Good luck to you.