Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 49,310	$ 43,824
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities
Depreciation and amortization	4,193	2,916
Impairment charge for goodwill and identifiable intangible assets	10,400
Amortization of loan costs and premium on property tax payment agreements receivable	2,091	1,367
Stock-based compensation expense	6,710	5,980
Income tax provision in excess of (less than) income tax payments	1,823	(1,472)
Excess tax benefit from stock-based payment arrangements	(3,600)	(4,904)
Loss on sale of discontinued operations	2,416
(Reversal) provision for allowances on receivable portfolios, net	(1,506)	8,109
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects of acquisition
Other assets	(20)	1,944
Deferred court costs	945	(3,968)
Prepaid income tax and income taxes payable	(8,407)	3,423
Accounts payable, accrued liabilities and other liabilities	1,798	1,012
Net cash provided by operating activities	66,153	58,231
Investing activities:
Cash paid for acquisition, net of cash acquired	(186,731)
Purchases of receivable portfolios	(408,757)	(250,107)
Collections applied to investment in receivable portfolios, net	313,205	234,726
Proceeds from put-backs of receivable portfolios	1,892	2,343
Originations of property tax payment agreements receivable	(22,912)
Purchases of property and equipment	(3,665)	(3,458)
Net cash used in investing activities	(282,001)	(16,496)
Financing activities:
Payment of loan costs	(1,832)	(835)
Proceeds from senior secured notes		25,000
Proceeds from revolving credit facilities	390,399	61,000
Repayment of revolving credit facilities	(163,048)	(127,000)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	5,181	1,287
Taxes paid related to net share settlement of equity awards	(2,287)	(3,476)
Excess tax benefit from stock-based payment arrangements	3,600	4,904
Repayment of capital lease obligations	(4,949)	(2,848)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	227,064	(41,968)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	11,216	(233)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	8,047	10,905
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	19,263	10,672
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest	18,634	14,591
Cash paid for income taxes	36,840	24,860
Supplemental schedule of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Fixed assets acquired through capital lease	2,817	2,434
Property Tax Note Receivable
Investing activities:
Collections applied to property tax payment agreements receivable, net	$ 24,967