How do you prevent proceeds from sale of property being split?

How do you prevent a soon to be ex from walking away with half the proceeds of the sale of a property before all the debts are settled? A lot of the marital debt is in my name. I do not have a lawyer presently, cannot afford one. Is it easy to just not endorse joint check until I get satisfaction? Can it be put in a trust account? How hard is that to be set up? I live in Pa.