The attorney does need a court order to garnish your pay. That would require a bit of time, but not much. If this is an experienced collection attorney, he could have that order in less than 45 days. Your employer could begin garnishing wages in less than two months from the date of this letter. This kind of judgment is good for 10 years from the date the court originally signed the order.
Upon it's ratification, the Constitution of the United States of America established the United States as a Constitutional Republic. Despite popular belief and what many people may believe, the United States is not now and never was a Democracy.
Article 1 of the United States Constitution grants Congress its powers. It is primarily intended to be a legislative body of a three-branch system that shares equal power. Congress is the only branch of government that can make or change laws. The executive branch of the government is led by the President, while the Supreme Court is at the top of the judicial branch of government. To form a system of checks and balances, it is necessary for Congress to have some non-legislative powers. These powers help the government organize in the event that one branch attempts to exercise too much influence over the others.