KOMORNIK IN ENGLISH?

Polonius3Threads: 1,005 Posts: 4,833 Joined: Apr 11, 08 ♂	Jul 13, 09, 06:47 #1
The Stanisławski dictionary gives sheriff's officer and bailiff for komornik. In today's Poland it appears the word strikes fear into Polish hearts because it means the official who comes and confiscates your property for unpaid debts. Is that also the role of a bailiff in the US and UK?

DaisyThreads: 16 Posts: 2,172 Joined: Apr 28, 07 ♀	Edited by: Daisy Jul 13, 09, 06:56 #2
That's what a bailiff does in the UK, I can't imagine it being any different in the US. the only difference in the UK is, where as a bailiff was once the court bailiff, they are now run by private firms who buy debts, then add an extortionate amount of interest to the debt don't know how they can sleep at night

Polonius3Threads: 1,005 Posts: 4,833 Joined: Apr 11, 08 ♂	Jul 13, 09, 08:40 #3
If the bailiffs are now private, then do they differ from a debt-collecting agency?

MEMBER ♂

Jul 13, 09, 12:46 #4

Polonius3:

If the bailiffs are now private, then do they differ from a debt-collecting agency?

They don't any more.

In the old days they were seperate as the Bailiffs were sent by the court on behalf of the company that you owed money. But now everyone uses Debt-collecting agencies as they completely buy the debt and, as Daisy says, pile on a load of interest to the point it's almost impossible to pay, then they will send their agents round and take all of your stuff.

♀

Jul 14, 09, 16:55 #5

The Stanisławski dictionary gives sheriff's officer and bailiff for komornik. In today's Poland it appears the word strikes fear into Polish hearts because it means the official who comes and confiscates your property for unpaid debts. Is that also the role of a bailiff in the US and UK?

In the US, bailiff is usually a sherif that is assigned inside the court room to maintain order and bring prisoners into courtroom. A Sheriff officer is usually from the local city or county and may serve legal notices and in some areas are the local police department. Usually, sheriff's will deliver summons and post evictions, then it is up to local authorities to do the actual eviction. Depends on the size of the police departments as to what their duties are.
Hope that helps.

VarsovianThreads: 91 Posts: 568 Joined: Nov 23, 06 ♂	Apr 1, 10, 09:22 #6
Bailiff has a completely different meaninng in the USA!! He's the court usher, also charged with security in court ...

AdamKadmon

Apr 1, 10, 10:55 #7

In England and Whales there are six offices whose holders are commonly referred to as bailiffs.

1) Civilian enforcement officers carry out enforcement for Magistrates' Courts mainly collecting of unpaid fines given by the court.

2) County court bailiffs carry out enforcement for county courts i.e. payment of unpaid county court judgments.

3) High Court enforcement officers employed by private companies and carry out enforcement for the High Court of Justice. Except the court for which they work they have the same function as County Court Bailiffs.

4) Certificated bailiffs are employed by private companies and enforce a variety of debts on behalf of organisations such as local authorities.

5) Non-certificated bailiffs are employed by private companies and are entitled to recover the money owed for a variety of debts.

6) Water bailiffs police bodies of water and prevent illegal fishing.

In USA many use the word bailiff colloquially to refer to a peace officer providing court security. More often, these court officers are sheriff's deputies, marshals, or constables. The terminology varies among (and sometimes within) the several states.
Whatever the name used, the agency providing court security is often charged with serving legal process and seizing and selling property.

As for the the word billiff which strikes fear among some Poles, the same in England: in former times in The Fens of eastern England, the term "Bailiff of Bedford" was often used as slang for destructive floods of the River Great Ouse.

Some dictionary equivalents:
Stanisławski - sheriff's officer, bailiff;
PWN/Oxford - debt collector, bailiff, repossession man;
Kościuszkowski - officer of the court;

Other terms:

court/law enforcement officer, court executive officer, court executor

Źródło: wikipedia i wymienione słowniki

LukeE	Apr 1, 10, 17:34 #8
If we're talking about the widely-used term with a highly negative connotation, it'll be "repo man" in the US (from repossession). I believe the technicalities of the role are somewhat different from the Polish "komornik", but it's definitely the best equivalent in terms what most people would say most of the time and the emotional charge of the word.

mafketisThreads: 17 Posts: 1,880 Joined: Mar 31, 08 ♂	Apr 1, 10, 17:58 #9
Bailiff is useless as a 'translation' of 'komornik' since it won't mean the same thing to US speakers. It's a case of having to translate the translation, which is never good. For a US audience 'repo man' has the right connotations, but that probably wouldn't work for a non-US audience. Maybe a descriptive term like 'property liquidator' (more or less what they do).

POLAND . The Unofficial Guide	Unanswered \| Archives
POLAND . The Unofficial Guide	Poland Information in English	Witamy, Guest \| PF Members \| Gold Members

Home \| Unanswered \| Archives \| Random \| Statistics	Time in Poland: 12:33 / May 26
About Us \| Contact Us \| Rules, Privacy \| Poland Advertising	© 2005-12 PolishForums.com