Here you will find judgment laws and rules which apply for the area
of garnishments in the states of Arizona, California, and Colorado.
Realize that codes, regulations, and court rules change from time
to time. You will want to check to confirm that these statutes are
up to date as of the time you need to apply them. State garnishment
laws and judgment law will dictate how you must proceed with implementing
a garnishment. This post will be helpful if you hope to use a garnishment
to enforce a money judgment whether it be a judgment Arizona, California,
or Colorado.
Arizona Procedural Requirements
A writ of garnishment shall be issued pursuant to
this article after the judgment creditor or a person in his behalf
makes an application in writing. The application shall contain the
following: A statement that the applicant is a judgment creditor.
A statement that the applicant has good reason to believe that the
garnishee is holding nonexempt monies on behalf of the judgment
debtor. The amount of the outstanding balance due on the underlying
judgment, together with interest and accrued allowable costs, on
the date the application is made, and the rate at which interest
accrues on that judgment. The address of the garnishee. Arizona.
Rev. Statute. Ann. _ 121572.
When the judgment creditor has filed the application,
the clerk or justice of the peace shall issue a writ of garnishment
of monies or property and a summons directed to the sheriff, constable
or any officer authorized by law to serve process in the county
where the garnishee is alleged to be, commanding him to immediately
summon the garnishee to appear before the court out of which the
writ issued within the time specified in the writ to answer the
writ. The writ shall state: The amount of the outstanding balance
due on the judgment, including accrued interest and allowable costs,
as of the date of the issuance of the writ, and the rate at which
interest accrues on that judgment. The name and address of the garnishee
or his authorized agent. The name and address of the judgment creditor
and his attorney, if applicable. The last mailing address of the
judgment debtor know to the judgment creditor. The judgment creditor,
in the manner required for a summons by rules of the court in civil
matters, shall serve on the garnishee two copies of the summons
and writ of garnishment, a copy of the underlying judgment, four
copies of the answer form, two copies of the notice to judgment
debtor and request for hearing form and one copy of the instructions
to garnishee provided for in _ 12 1596.
Within three days, not including weekends and holidays,
the garnishee shall deliver to the judgment debtor a copy of the
summons and writ of garnishment, a copy of the underlying judgment
and the notice to judgment debtor and request for hearing form.
Arizona. Rev. Statute. Ann. _ 121574.
Note, monies owing to a judgment debtor by a banking
corporation or association, savings banks, savings and loan association,
credit union, trust company or title insurance company, maintaining
branch offices, or credits or other effects belonging to a judgment
debtor and in the possession of or under the control of such entity,
may be levied upon by serving a copy of the writ of garnishment
upon the manager or other officer of such entity, at any office
or branch thereof located in the county where such service is made.
No garnishment shall be effective as to any debt owing by such entity
if the account evidencing such indebtedness is carried at an office
or branch other than the office or branch named in the writ and
at which service is made or as to any credits or other effects in
its possession or under its control at any other office or branch,
unless the service of writ is accompanied by a cash tender of twenty
five dollars to the garnishee as costs for the search. Upon the
payment of the search fee the writ shall be effective as to any
debt owing by such entity, if the account evidencing such indebtedness
is carried at any office or branch thereof located in the county
in which service is made, but shall not be effective as to any debt
owing by such entity, if the account evidencing such indebtedness
is carried at an office or branch thereof located in a county other
than the county in which service is made. Arizona. Rev. Statute.
Ann. _ 12 1577.
From and after the service of all documents required
to be served pursuant to _ 121574 the garnishee shall not pay to
the judgment debtor any monies which are not exempt. Any such payment
is void and of no effect as to so much of the monies as is necessary
to satisfy the judgment creditor’s demand. However, a financial
institution shall not withhold from the judgment debtor the amount
set forth as exempt pursuant to _ 331125, paragraph 7, unless ordered
by the court to do so after a hearing pursuant to _ 121580. Arizona.
Rev. Statute. Ann. _ 12 1578.
Actions in garnishment in which an answer has been
filed by a garnishee shall not be dismissed except upon notice to
the garnishee and an opportunity to be heard upon the question of
allowance of garnishee’s costs and attorney’s fee. Arizona.
Rev. Statute. Ann. _ 121582.
When the garnishee is discharged upon his answer,
the cost of the proceeding, including reasonable compensation to
the garnishee, shall be taxed against the judgment creditor. When
there is no written objection to the answer of the garnishee and
the garnishee is held on his answer, the above costs shall be taxed
against the judgment debtor. Where the answer is objected to in
writing the costs shall abide the issue. Arizona. Rev. Statute.
Ann. _ 121591.
A bank deposit made in the names of two or more
persons shall be subject to garnishment. The answering garnishee
shall, upon service of the writ, impound all funds then present
in the bank account, and shall promptly notify each person who appears
from the business records of the garnishee to have an interest in
such bank account in addition to the judgment debtor that such account
has been impounded, the name of the judgment creditor and judgment
debtor and the court in which the action is pending as Statuted
on the writ. The notice may be made personally or by registered
mail, postage prepaid, addressed to each such person at his last
known address as reflected by the business records of the garnishee.
The answer of the garnishee, in such case, shall Statutee under
oath the names of all persons who appear from the business records
of the garnishee to have an interest in the bank account in addition
to the judgment debtor. Upon the filing of the answer the court
shall join all persons who appear to have an interest in the bank
account in addition to the judgment debtor, as reflected by the
answer of the garnishee, and shall proceed to a determination of
the interest of the judgment debtor therein. Upon entry of an order
based upon such proceeding all impounded funds, except those of
the judgment debtor, shall be released by the garnishee. The matter
shall otherwise proceed as in any other garnishment action. Arizona.
Rev. Statute. Ann. _ 12595.
Under the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure, “In
aid of the judgment or execution, the judgment creditor . . . may
obtain discovery from any person, including the judgment debtor,
in the manner provided in these Rules or otherwise by law.”
Arizona. R. Civil. P. 69. Note: Personal property does not include
accounts under Arizona. Rev. Statute. Ann. _ 121570.
Deliver means to hand deliver, to mail by regular
first class mail to the address which the sender determines through
reasonable good faith efforts to be best calculated to reach the
recipient in a timely manner, or to serve on a party pursuant to
the rules of civil procedure applicable to a summons. Arizona. Rev.
Statute. Ann. _ 121570.
Interest Rate at which Judgments AccrueAny judgment
shall be at the rate of ten percent per annum. However, a judgment
given on an agreement bearing a higher rate not in excess of the
maximum permitted by law shall bear the rate of interest provided
in the agreement, and it shall be specified in the judgment. Arizona.
Rev. Statute. Ann. _ 441201. Applicable Forms The court or justice
of the peace shall provide to the parties, at no charge, copies
of the following documents required to be delivered pursuant to
_ 121574:
The notice to judgment debtor and request for hearing
form as prescribed by the supreme court but necessarily including
an explanation of the judgment debtor’s rights and responsibilities
relating to the garnishment procedure, including information concerning
exemption rights, grounds for objecting to the writ, and the objection
and hearing procedures and a form on which the judgment debtor may
request a hearing. The answer form. The instructions to garnishee.
A party to a garnishment proceeding may use documents other than
those provided, if such documents are substantially similar to those
prescribed by the supreme court. Arizona. Rev. Statute. Ann. _ 121596.
California Procedural Requirements
At any time after delivery of a writ of execution
to a levying officer and before its return, a person indebted to
the judgment debtor may pay to the levying officer the amount of
the debt or so much thereof as is necessary to satisfy the money
judgment. The levying officer shall give a receipt for the amount
paid and such receipt is a discharge for the amount paid. Cal. Civil.
Procedure. Code _ 699.020.
A registered process server may levy under a writ
of execution on deposit accounts. Before levying under the writ
of execution, the registered process server shall deposit a copy
of the writ with the levying officer and pay the fee provided by
_ 26721 of the Government Code ($20). Cal. Civil. Procedure. Code
_ 699.080.
After entry of a money judgment, a writ of execution
shall be issued by the clerk of the court upon application of the
judgment creditor and shall be directed to the levying officer in
the county where the levy is to be made and to any registered process
server. A separate writ shall be issued for each county where a
levy is to be made. Writs may be issued successively until the money
judgment is satisfied, except that a new writ may not be issued
for a county until the expiration of 180 days after the issuance
of a prior writ for that county unless the prior writ is first returned.
Cal. Civil. Procedure. Code _ 699.510.
The writ of execution shall require the levying
officer to whom it is directed to enforce the money judgment and
shall include the following information: The date of issuance of
the writ. The title of the court where the judgment is entered and
the cause and number of the action. The name and address of the
judgment creditor and the name and last known address of the judgment
debtor. The date of the entry of the judgment and of any subsequent
renewals and where entered in the records of the court. The total
amount of the money judgment as entered or renewed, together with
costs and the accrued interest on the judgment from the date of
entry or renewal of the judgment to date of issuance of the writ,
reduced by any partial satisfactions and by any amounts no longer
enforceable. The amount required to satisfy the money judgment on
the date the writ is issued. The amount of interest accruing daily
on the principal amount of the judgment from the date the writ is
issued. Whether any person has requested notice of sale under the
judgment and, if so, the name and mailing address of such person.
Cal. Civil. Procedure. Code _ 699.520.
Upon delivery of the writ of execution to the levying
officer to whom the writ is directed, together with the written
instructions of the judgment creditor, the levying officer shall
execute the writ in the manner prescribed by law. The levying officer
may not levy upon any property under the writ after the expiration
of 180 days from the date the writ was issued. Cal. Civil. Procedure.
Code _ 699.530.
The notice of levy shall inform the person notified
of all of the following: The capacity in which the person is notified.
The property that is levied upon. The person’s rights under
the levy, including the right to claim an exemption and the right
to make a third-party claim. The person’s duties under the
levy. Cal. Civil. Procedure. Code _ 699.540. At the time of levy,
the levying officer shall serve, either personally or by mail, a
copy of the writ of execution, a notice of levy and, if the judgment
debtor is a natural person, a copy of the form listing exemptions.
Cal. Civil. Procedure. Code _ 700.010.
Subject to Section 700.160, to levy upon a deposit
account, the levying officer shall personally serve a copy of the
writ of execution and a notice of levy on the financial institution
with which the deposit account is maintained. The execution lien
reaches only amounts in the deposit account at the time of service
on the financial institution (including any item in the deposit
account that is in the process of being collected unless the item
is returned unpaid to the financial institution). At the time of
levy or promptly thereafter, the levying officer shall serve a copy
of the writ of execution and a notice of levy on any third person
in whose name the deposit account stands. Service shall be made
personally or by mail. During the time the execution lien is in
effect, the financial institution shall not honor a check or other
order for the payment of money drawn against, and shall not pay
a withdrawal from, the deposit account that would reduce the deposit
account to an amount less than the amount levied upon. When the
amount levied upon pursuant to this section is paid to the levying
officer, the execution lien on the deposit account levied upon terminates.
Cal. Civil. Procedure. Code _ 700.140. A deposit account in the
name of a person other than the judgment debtor, either alone or
together with other third persons, is not subject to levy under
_ 700.140 unless the levy is authorized by court order.
A court order is not required as a prerequisite
to levy on a deposit account in the name of the judgment debtor,
whether alone or together with third persons, or the judgment debtor’s
spouse, whether alone or together with other third persons. An affidavit
showing that the person in whose name the account stands is the
judgment debtor’s spouse shall be delivered to the financial
institution at the time of levy. In any case where a deposit account
in the name of a person other than the judgment debtor, whether
alone or together with the judgment debtor, is levied upon, the
financial institution shall not pay to the levying officer the amount
levied upon until being notified to do so by the levying officer.
The levying officer may not require the financial institution to
pay the amount levied upon until the expiration of 15 days after
service of notice of levy on the third person. Cal. Civil. Procedure.
Code _ 700.160.
Interest Rate at which Judgments AccrueAt the rate
of 10 percent per annum on the principal amount of a money judgment
remaining unsatisfied. Cal. Civil. Procedure. Code _ 685.010. Interest
commences to accrue on a money judgment on the date of entry of
the judgment. However, if a money judgment is payable in installments,
interest commences to accrue as to each installment on the date
the installment becomes due. Cal. Civil. Procedure. Code _ 685.020.
Colorado Procedural Requirements
“Writ of garnishment with notice of exemption
and pending levy” means the exclusive procedure through which
the personal property of any kind (other than earnings of a natural
person) in the possession or control of a garnishee including the
credits, debts, chooses in action, or money owed to the judgment
debtor, whether they are due at the time of the service of the writ
or are to become due thereafter, is required to be held for payment
of a judgment debt (a “Writ with Notice”). A Writ with
Notice shall be in the form and content of Colo. R. Civil. P. Form
29.
After entry of a judgment when a writ of execution
may issue, a Writ with Notice shall be issued by the clerk of the
court upon request. Under such writ any indebtedness, intangible
personal property, or tangible personal property capable of manual
delivery, other than earnings of a natural person, owed to, or owned
by, the judgment debtor, and in the possession or control of the
garnishee at the time of service of such writ upon the garnishee,
shall be subject to the process of garnishment. Issuance of a writ
of execution shall not be required before the issuance of a Writ
with Notice. Service of a Writ with Notice shall be made in accordance
with Colo. R. Civil. P. 4.
Following service of the Writ with Notice on the
garnishee, a copy of the Writ with Notice, together with a blank
copy of Colo. R. Civil. P. Form 30 shall be served upon each judgment
debtor whose property is subject to garnishment by such writ as
soon thereafter as practicable. Such service shall be in accordance
with Colo. Rev. Statute. Ann. 1354.5107(2)* 1 Service of a Writ
with Notice upon the garnishee shall give the court jurisdiction
over the garnishee and any personal property of any description,
owned by, or owed to the judgment debtor in the possession or control
of the garnishee. Colo. R. Civil. P. 103.
Interest Rate at which Judgments Accrue Creditors
shall be allowed to receive interest on any judgment recovered before
any court authorized to enter the same within this Statute from
the date of entering said judgment until satisfaction thereof is
made either at the rate specified in a contract or instrument in
writing which provides for payment of interest at a specified rate
until the obligation is paid, except that if the contract or instrument
provides for a variable rate, at the rate in effect under the contract
or instrument on the date judgment enters, or in all other cases
where no rate is specified, at the rate of eight percent per annum
compounded annually. Colo. Rev. Statute. Ann. _ 512102.
Note: Special rates apply if a judgment has been
appealed. Colo. Rev. Statute. Ann. _ 512106. Furthermore, special
rates apply in actions to recover damages for personal injuries.
Colo. Rev. Statute. Ann. _ 1321101. Applicable Forms Colo. R. Civil.
P. Form 29 Colo. R. Civil. P. Form 30 1 Service shall be made by
delivering a copy of such notice to the judgment debtor personally
or by leaving a copy of such notice at the usual abode of the judgment
debtor with some member of his family over the age of eighteen years.
In the event that personal service cannot be made, the section provides
for service through publication. Such notice, with proof of service
thereof, and, in the case of publication, an affidavit of publication
and an affidavit of the mailing of notice shall be filed with the
clerk of the court in which the judgment was entered. Colo. Rev.
Statute. Ann. _ 1354.4107(2).
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