Georgia Debtor and Creditor Attachment Proceedings

Title 18. Debtor and Creditor
Chapter 3. Attachment Proceedings

ARTICLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

ARTICLE 2. LEVY AND REPLEVY OF PROPERTY GENERALLY

ARTICLE 3. THIRD-PARTY CLAIMS

ARTICLE 4. JUDGMENT, EXECUTION, AND LEVY

ARTICLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

§ 18-3-1. Grounds for attachment

Attachments may issue when the debtor:

(1) Resides out of the state;

(2) Moves or is about to move his domicile outside the limits of the county;

(3) Absconds;

(4) Conceals himself;

(5) Resists legal arrest; or

(6) Is causing his property to be removed beyond the limits of the state.

§ 18-3-2. Right to seek attachment on money demands generally

In all cases of money demands, whether arising ex contractu or ex delicto, the plaintiff shall have the right to seek attachment when the defendant places himself in such situation as will authorize a plaintiff to seek attachment.

§ 18-3-3. Issuance of attachment prior to debt becoming due; stay of execution on judgment where debt not due before final judgment

When the debt is not due, the debtor shall be subject to attachment in the same manner and to the same extent as in cases where the debt is due, except that, where the debt does not become due before final judgment, execution upon the judgment shall be stayed until the debt is due.

§ 18-3-4. Issuance of attachment after action has been commenced; effect of judgment on action still pending

In all cases where the plaintiff has commenced an action for the recovery of a debt and the defendant, during the pendency of such action, shall become subject to attachment, the plaintiff may have an attachment against the defendant; and all the proceedings in relation to the same shall be as prescribed in relation to attachments where no action is pending. A satisfaction of the judgment in the common-law action shall satisfy the judgment in attachment, and a satisfaction of the judgment in attachment shall satisfy the judgment in the common-law action.

§ 18-3-5. Issuance against administrator or executor removing or about to remove property of deceased person; entry of final judgment against administrator or executor

Process of attachment may issue against an administrator of an estate or the executor of the last will and testament of any deceased person, as in other cases, when the administrator or executor actually removes or is about to remove the property of the deceased person outside the limits of any county, provided that final judgment shall not be entered against such administrator or executor until after the expiration of two years from the granting of letters of administration or letters testamentary, as the case may be.

§ 18-3-6. Issuance against joint contractors or partners

In cases of joint contractors and partners, where any one of them shall render himself liable to attachment according to law, an attachment may issue against him, upon the plaintiff, his agent, or his attorney at law complying with this article. The proceeding against such joint contractor or partner shall be in all respects as in other cases of attachment, except that such attachment shall be levied only upon the separate property of such joint contractor or partner.

§ 18-3-7. Issuance against nonresident corporations

Attachments may issue against nonresident corporations transacting business within the state under the same rules and regulations as are prescribed in relation to issuing attachments and garnishments in other cases.

§ 18-3-8. Right of surety or endorser upon an instrument of writing to attach property of principal

(a) In all cases where a person is surety or endorser upon an instrument of writing and the principal shall become subject to attachment according to Code Section 18-3-1, such surety or endorser may, upon complying with this chapter, have attachment against his principal. The proceedings shall be in all respects the same as in other cases of attachment, and the money raised by the attachment shall be paid to the person holding the instrument of writing.

(b) If the surety or endorser has paid the debt, then the money raised upon the attachment or so much thereof as will pay the amount the surety or endorser has paid shall be paid to the surety or endorser.

(c) In case the debt is not due at the time judgment is rendered against the principal, execution shall be stayed until the debt is due.

§ 18-3-9. Requirement of application for order authorizing issuance of writ of attachment prior to entry of judgment; contents of application for writ; procedure for granting or denial of issuance of writ

(a) When the plaintiff contends one or more of the grounds set forth in Code Section 18-3-1 exist, prior to obtaining judgment against the defendant, the plaintiff may make application to a judge of any court of record, other than the probate court, in the county of the residence of the defendant, if known, and, if not known, in the county wherein the property sought to be attached is located, for an order authorizing issuance of a writ of attachment. The application shall be made in writing, under oath, and shall set forth the specific facts that show the existence of one or more of such grounds, the basis and nature of the claim, and the amount of indebtedness claimed therein by the plaintiff.

(b) Upon presentation of plaintiff's sworn application for a writ of attachment, it shall be the duty of the judge to inquire into the facts alleged, going beyond mere conclusions of fact alleged by the plaintiff and clearly setting forth the facts entitling the creditor to a writ of attachment as set forth in Code Section 18-3-1. Upon consideration of the inquiry, the judge shall have the discretion to grant or deny the issuance of a writ of attachment. Any order by a judge granting the issuance of a writ of attachment shall be subject to approval of a bond by the clerk of the court, pursuant to Code Section 18-3-10, prior to filing of the writ of attachment.

§ 18-3-10. Bond requirements generally

No writ of attachment shall issue unless accompanied by a bond with good security, conditioned to pay the defendant all costs and damages that he may sustain in consequence of the issuance of the writ of attachment in the event that the amount claimed to be due was not due, that no lawful ground for issuance of the attachment existed, or that the property sought to be attached was not subject to attachment. The bond shall be in a sum equal to twice the amount claimed due in the plaintiff's application. The bond shall be presented to the clerk of the court where the application provided for in Code Section 18-3-9 is sought to be filed for approval by such clerk prior to filing of the writ of attachment.

§ 18-3-10.1. Service of process in action by defendant against nonresident plaintiff for damages

When a person who has been a defendant in attachment desires to bring an action against the plaintiff for damages, and the plaintiff in attachment does not reside in this state, it shall be sufficient to serve the complaint and summons on the security to the bond given by the plaintiff, and the action may proceed against both principal and security.

§ 18-3-11. Persons who may make affidavit and execute bond where debt due to partnership or several persons jointly

When the debt, for the recovery of which the attachment is sought, is due to a partnership or is due to several persons jointly, any one of the partners or joint creditors, his agent, or his attorney at law may make the affidavit and give the bond as prescribed and sign the names of the other partners or joint creditors to said bond; and the partners or joint creditors shall be bound thereby in the same manner as though they had signed it themselves.

§ 18-3-12. Persons who may be taken as security or surety on a bond

No person shall be taken as security or surety on any attachment bond who is an attorney for the plaintiff or a nonresident, except such nonresident who is possessed of real estate in the county where the attachment issues which is the value of the amount of such bond.

§ 18-3-13. Procedure for contesting sufficiency of bond; review of sufficiency of bond; requirement of additional security or new bond; failure to give additional security or new bond

When any attachment shall be issued and levied upon the property of the defendant, the defendant, his agent, or his attorney may file an affidavit stating that he has a good defense to the action, that the bond given in the action is not a good bond, and stating the ground of its insufficiency. When the affidavit is made and delivered to the levying officer, the officer shall return such attachment together with the affidavit forthwith to the judge issuing the attachment. The judge issuing the attachment shall without delay hear testimony as to the sufficiency of the bond and may in his discretion require additional security or a new bond to be given within such time as he may prescribe. If the plaintiff fails to provide such additional security or new bond, the judge shall dismiss the levy made under the atachment.

§ 18-3-14. Service of copy of writ of attachment on defendant; notification of defendant of issuance of attachment

(a) The defendant shall be given notice of the attachment issued against his property by any one or more of the following methods:

(1) The plaintiff, at the time the attachment is filed with the clerk, shall commence procedures to effectuate the service of a copy of the writ of attachment on the defendant; and service thereafter shall be made on the defendant as soon as is reasonably practicable. Service pursuant to this paragraph shall be made pursuant to Code Section 9-11-4;

(2) The plaintiff, after issuance of the writ of attachment and not more than three business days after levy upon the property of the defendant, shall cause a written notice to be sent to the defendant at defendant's last known address by registered or certified mail or statutory overnight delivery, return receipt requested. Either the return receipt indicating receipt by the defendant or the envelope bearing the official notification from the United States Postal Service of the defendant's refusal to accept delivery or failure to claim such registered or certified mail or statutory overnight delivery shall be filed with the clerk of the court in which the attachment is pending. The defendant's refusal to accept or failure to claim such registered or certified mail or statutory overnight delivery addressed to defendant shall be deemed notice to defendant;

(3) The plaintiff, after the issuance of the writ of attachment and not more than three business days after levy upon the property of the defendant, shall cause a written notice to be delivered personally to the defendant by the plaintiff or by plaintiff's attorney at law or other agent. A certification by the person making the delivery shall be filed with the clerk;

(4) When the defendant resides out of the state or has departed the state or cannot, after due diligence, be found within the state or conceals his place of residence from the plaintiff and the fact shall appear, by affidavit, to the satisfaction of the judge or clerk of the court, the levy and attachment shall constitute sufficient notice to the defendant, provided such levy and attachment without more shall constitute sufficient notice, unless the plaintiff has actual knowledge of the defendant's address, in which case, to provide sufficient notice, the plaintiff shall also mail a written notice of attachment to the defendant at said address or, not having actual knowledge of the defendant's address but the address at which the defendant was last known to reside, to provide sufficient notice, the plaintiff shall also mail a written notice of attachment to the defendant at said address. A mailing of the written notice provided in this paragraph shall be made after the issuance of the writ of attachment and not more than three business days after levy upon the property of the defendant, and a certificate of such mailing shall be filed with the clerk by the person mailing the notice;

(5) Where it shall appear by affidavit that a defendant in the attachment action is not a resident of this state or has departed from this state or, after due diligence, cannot be found in this state or that the defendant conceals his place of residence from the plaintiff, notice may be given by causing two publications of the written notice in the paper in which advertisements are printed by the sheriff in each county in which a writ of attachment is served. Such publications must be at least six days apart and the second publication must be made not more than 21 days after levy upon the property of the defendant. A certification by the person causing the notice to be published shall be filed with the clerk, provided such publication shall constitute sufficient notice alone, unless the plaintiff has actual knowledge of the defendant's address, in which case, to provide sufficient notice, the plaintiff shall also mail a written notice of attachment to the defendant at said address. A mailing of the written notice provided in this paragraph shall be made after the issuance of the writ of attachment and not more than three business days after levy upon the property of the defendant, and a certificate of such mailing shall be filed with the clerk by the person mailing the notice; or

(6) Where the defendant's address is known, the plaintiff, after issuance of the attachment and not more than three business days after levy upon the property of the defendant, shall send a written notice of the attachment to the defendant at such known address by ordinary mail. A certification by the person mailing the notice shall be filed with the clerk.

(b) The receiving by the defendant of actual timely notice of the attachment and levy shall constitute notice.

(c) "Written notice," as referred to in paragraphs (2) through (6) of subsection (a) of this Code section, shall consist of a copy of the affidavit and bond for attachment or of a document which includes the names of the plaintiff and the defendant, the amount claimed in the affidavit for attachment, and the court wherein the proceeding is filed.

(d) The methods of notification specified in subsection (a) of this Code section are cumulative and may be used in any sequence or combination. Where it appears that a plaintiff has reasonably, diligently, and in good faith attempted to use one method, another method thereafter may be utilized and, for the time during which the attempt was being made, the time limit shall be tolled for the subsequent method.

§ 18-3-15. Right of defendant to postseizure hearing

When a writ of attachment is issued against the property of the defendant, the defendant may at any time traverse the plaintiff's affidavit upon which the attachment was obtained, stating that the affidavit is untrue or legally insufficient. Upon filing of the traverse, the court shall issue a show cause order to the plaintiff requiring him to appear at a specified time, which shall not be more than ten days from the filing of the traverse, to prove the grounds for the issuance of the attachment. If the plaintiff shall fail to carry the burden of proof, the order authorizing the attachment shall be revoked.

§ 18-3-16. Issuance and levy of attachment on Sunday

Attachments may issue and be levied on Sunday when the plaintiff, his agent, or his attorney at law shall state, in his sworn application for a writ of attachment, that he has reason to believe the debt will not be satisfied unless process of attachment shall issue on Sunday and shall also comply with the other provisions of this chapter.

§ 18-3-17. Courts to which attachments returnable; applicability of general rules of civil practice and procedure; filing of declaration in attachment; notice of declaration

(a) Attachments shall be returnable to the court of record in which filed pursuant to subsection (a) of Code Section 18-3-9 and shall be governed by the rules of procedure and practice governing ordinary civil actions, as respects appearance day, trial term, and judgment pursuant to default, and by any and all other rules relating to procedure and practice.

(b) The plaintiff shall file his declaration in attachment within 15 days after the levy of attachment and the declaration shall thereafter be governed by the rules governing ordinary civil actions as provided for in subsection (a) of this Code section. Notice of the declaration shall be given pursuant to Code Section 18-3-14.

§ 18-3-18. Provisions governing pleadings, defenses, and procedures subsequent to filing of declaration in attachment

All pleadings, defenses, and procedures subsequent to the filing of the declaration in attachment shall be governed by Chapter 10 of Title 9.

§ 18-3-19. Forms for attachment

In all cases of attachment, the form of the affidavit, bond, attachment, and order authorizing the issuance thereof may be as follows:

(1) Affidavit for attachment.

(2) Bond.

(3) Attachment.

(4) Order.

§ 18-3-20. Substantial compliance in matters of form sufficient

A substantial compliance in all matters of form shall be held sufficient in all applications for attachment and in all attachments issued as provided by this chapter.

ARTICLE 2. LEVY AND REPLEVY OF PROPERTY GENERALLY

§ 18-3-30. Duty of officer to whom attachment directed generally; duty of officer to whom attachment directed regarding property removed from county

It shall be the duty of any one of the officers to whom an attachment is directed to levy the attachment upon real or personal property of the defendant which is necessary to satisfy the claim of the plaintiff and which may be found in the county of which he is an officer. It shall be the duty of any one of the officers to whom an attachment is directed, where the defendant has removed his property beyond the limits of the county in which the attachment is issued and returnable, to follow the property into any county of the state, levy the attachment upon such property of the defendant which is necessary to satisfy the claim of the plaintiff, and return the property to the county in which the attachment is returnable.

§ 18-3-31. Levy by officer of attachments in order received; entry of time and date of levy on attachment; entry of levy on docket by clerk

In all cases it shall be the duty of the officer levying attachments to levy them in the order in which they come into his hands, and it shall be his duty to enter upon the same the year, month, day, and hour on which he made the levy. Where the levy is upon land, the attachment must be entered on the execution or attachment docket by the clerk of the superior court in order to be good against third persons acting in good faith and without actual notice.

§ 18-3-32. Levy on property in a different county

When the plaintiff in attachment wishes to levy his attachment upon property in a different county from that in which the same is returnable, it shall be the duty of the judge issuing the attachment, upon the request of the plaintiff, his agent, or his attorney at law, to make out a copy or copies of the original attachment, bond, and affidavit and certify the same officially to be true copies. Upon delivery of the copies of the attachment, bond, and affidavit, as directed, to any officer of the county in which the property of the defendant is located, it shall be the duty of the officer forthwith to levy the attachment upon the property of the defendant located in that county and to return the attachment, with his actings and doings entered thereon, to the court to which the original attachment is returnable.

§ 18-3-33. Replevy of property by defendant generally upon payment of bond; amount of bond; return of property by officer taking bond; right of plaintiff to entry of judgment upon bond

(a) When an attachment has been levied upon the property of a defendant, it shall be the duty of the officer levying the attachment to deliver the property levied upon to the defendant upon his giving bond, with good security, payable to the plaintiff in attachment, obligating himself to pay the plaintiff the amount of the judgment and costs that he may recover in the case.

(b) Where the value of the property levied upon, as appraised by the levying officer, is equal to or exceeds the claim of the plaintiff, the bond shall be fixed in an amount equal to the amount claimed to be due. Where the value of the property levied upon, as appraised by the levying officer, is less than the claim of the plaintiff, the bond shall be fixed in an amount equal to twice the value of the property levied upon.

(c) The officer taking the bond shall return the bond with the attachment to the court to which the attachment is returnable, and the plaintiff shall be entitled to entry of judgment against the defendant and his sureties upon the bond for the amount of the judgment and costs entered against the defendant in the case.

§ 18-3-34. Replevy of property of foreign corporation upon payment of bond; return of bond by levying officer; right of plaintiff to entry of judgment on bond

When an attachment is levied on the property of a foreign corporation, any agent of the corporation may recover the property levied upon by giving a bond, with good security, conditioned to pay the amount of judgment and costs that the plaintiff in attachment may recover in the case. The officer taking the bond shall return the bond with the attachment to the court to which the attachment is made returnable; and the plaintiff shall be entitled to entry of judgment against the corporation and its sureties upon the bond for the amount of the judgment and costs entered against the corporation in the case.

ARTICLE 3. THIRD-PARTY CLAIMS

§ 18-3-50. Procedure generally

(a) When property is levied on by virtue of an attachment and the same is claimed by any person not a party to the attachment, it shall be the duty of the person claiming the same, his agent, or his attorney at law to make an oath before some person authorized by law to administer an oath that the property levied on is the property of the claimant and is not subject to the attachment according to the best of his knowledge and belief.

(b) The claimant shall give bond, with good security, payable to the plaintiff in attachment in a sum not larger than double the amount of the attachment levied and, where the property attached is of less value than the attachment, in the judgment of the levying officer, then in double the value of the property conditioned to pay the plaintiff all damages which the jury, on the trial of the right of property, may assess against him in case it should be made to appear that the claim was made for the purpose of delay; and, in case the claim is interposed by the agent or attorney at law of the claimant, the agent or attorney at law shall have power to sign the name of the claimant to the bond, and the claimant shall be bound in the same manner as though he had signed it himself. It shall be the duty of the levying officer taking the affidavit and bond to return the same to the court to which the attachment is returnable, unless the property levied on should be real estate, in which case it shall be his duty to return the same to the superior court of the county where the land lies, provided that, if the claimant is unable to give such bond and security, he may interpose his claim as provided in Code Section 9-15-2.

§ 18-3-51. Delivery of property to claimant upon payment of bond; return of affidavit and bond by levying officer

The claimant, his agent, or his attorney at law may give bond, with good security, payable to the levying officer, in a sum equal to double the value of the property claimed, the value to be judged by the levying officer, conditioned to deliver the property at the time and place of sale, provided the same should be found subject to the attachment; and, upon the delivery of the bond to the levying officer, it shall be his duty to deliver such property to the claimant, his agent, or his attorney at law; and it shall be the duty of the levying officer to return the bond, together with the affidavit and claim bond, to the court to which the attachment is returnable; and, when the claim is interposed by the agent or attorney at law of the claimant, the agent or attorney at law shall have power to sign the name of the claimant to the bond, who shall be bound thereby in the same manner as though he had signed it himself.

§ 18-3-52. Trial of claim

The third-party claim shall be tried in the same manner and subject to the same rules and regulations as are prescribed by law for the trial of other claims in the court to which it is returned.

§ 18-3-53. Proceedings upon failure of claimant to deliver property pursuant to conditions of bond

Upon the failure of the claimant to deliver the property according to the conditions of the bond, the levying officer may immediately sue the claimant and security upon the bond and recover the full value of the property claimed and also all damages, costs, and charges that the plaintiff may have sustained in consequence of the failure of the claimant to deliver the property.

§ 18-3-54. Liability of claimant and surety on bond for hire or use of property where plaintiff's debt unsatisfied

(a) In cases where the claimant shall deliver the property and upon selling the same a sufficient amount shall not be raised to pay the debt and costs of the plaintiff, the plaintiff may institute an action against the claimant and his securities upon his bond and recover the full value of the hire or use of the property while the same has been in the possession of the claimant and also full damages for any deterioration of the value of the property, by use or otherwise, while the same has been in the possession of the claimant, provided such recovery shall not exceed the amount of the debt that may remain due from the defendant in attachment to the plaintiff.

(b) The remedy provided in this Code section is and shall be extended to all other claims in the cases herein provided for.

§ 18-3-55. Interposition of claim before or after judgment

In cases of attachment, the claim may be interposed either before or after judgment.

ARTICLE 4. JUDGMENT, EXECUTION, AND LEVY

§ 18-3-70. Property bound by judgment in attachment

When the defendant has given bond and security, or when he has appeared and made defense by himself or attorney at law without raising a valid defense of lack of jurisdiction over the person, the judgment rendered against him in such case shall bind all his property and shall have the same force and effect as when there has been personal service, and execution shall issue accordingly, but it shall be first levied upon the property attached. In all other cases, the judgment on the attachment shall only bind the property attached and the judgment shall be entered only against such property.

§ 18-3-71. Setting aside judgment

A judgment in attachment may be set aside in a court of law upon an issue suggesting fraud or want of consideration, tendered by a judgment creditor of the defendant in attachment.

§ 18-3-72. Execution and levy on judgment

After the judgment has been obtained in any case of attachment, execution shall issue as in cases at common law, which execution shall be levied in the same manner as executions issuing at common law; and the proceedings in all respects shall be the same, except that when the judgment only binds the property levied on by the attachment, as aforesaid, the execution shall be issued against such property only and that property only shall be levied on and sold.

§ 18-3-73. Application of proceeds of sale

All money raised by the sale of defendant's property or otherwise, by virtue of this chapter, shall be paid over to the creditors of the defendant, according to the priority of the lien of their judgments, except that as between attaching creditors the attachment first levied shall be first satisfied to the entire exclusion of any attachment of younger levy.

§ 18-3-74. When lien arises; priorities

The lien of an attachment is created by the levy and not the judgment in the attachment; and in case of a conflict between attachments, the first levied shall be first satisfied; but in a contest between attachments and ordinary judgments or suits, it is the judgment and not the levy which fixes the lien. However, the lien of an attachment shall have priority over the lien of an ordinary judgment that has been obtained upon a suit filed after the levy of the attachment.

§ 18-3-75. Entry on attachment docket; effect of failure to make such entry

As against the interests of third parties acting in good faith and without notice who may have acquired a transfer or lien binding any real estate, no attachment levied upon real estate shall be a lien on the same from the levy thereof unless said attachment is entered upon the attachment docket of the county in which the real estate is situated within five days from said levy. When the attachment is entered upon the docket after the five days, the lien shall date from such entry; and it shall be the duty of the sheriff to have said entry made within the five days. Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to affect the validity or force of any attachment as between the parties thereto.

GA Georgia Official State Statutes

Back to Debt Related Laws

Debt Relief in 12 - 48 Months!

Avoid Bankruptcy!

Settle Debts for 40% - 60%!

Debt Help with Creditor and Collector Harrassment!

More Information About:

Debt Settlement

Debt Consolidation

Debt Relief

www.debt-settlement-inc.com © 2006 Johnson Law Group. All Rights Reserved. Privacy policy

Site Map