28 U.S.C. § 3104

Current through P.L. 118-106 (published on www.congress.gov on 10/04/2024)

Section 3104 - Garnishment

(a) IN GENERAL.-If the requirements of section 3101 are satisfied, a court may issue a writ of garnishment against property (excluding earnings) in which the debtor has a substantial nonexempt interest and which is in the possession, custody, or control of a person other than the debtor in order to satisfy a claim for a debt. Co-owned property shall be subject to garnishment to the same extent as co-owned property is subject to garnishment under the law of the State in which such property is located. A court may issue simultaneous separate writs of garnishment to several garnishees. A writ of garnishment issued under this subsection shall be continuing and shall terminate only as provided in section 3205(c)(10).

(b) WRIT.-

(1) Subsections (b)(2) and (c) of section 3205 shall apply with respect to garnishment under this section, except that for purposes of this section-

(A) earnings of the debtor shall not be subject to garnishment; and

(B) a reference in such subsections to a judgment debtor shall be deemed to be a reference to a debtor.

(2) The United States shall include in its application for a writ of garnishment-

(A) the amount of the claim asserted by the United States for a debt; and

(B) the date the writ is issued.

(c) LIMITATION.-The value of property garnished shall not exceed the amount by which the sum of the amount of the debt claimed by the United States and the amount of interest and costs reasonably likely to be assessed against the debtor by the court exceeds the aggregate value of the nonexempt interest of the debtor in any-

(1) property securing the debt; and

(2) property attached or in receivership, or income sequestered, under this subchapter.

28 U.S.C. § 3104

Added Pub. L. 101-647, §3611, 104 Stat. 4945.

STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES

EFFECTIVE DATESection effective 180 days after Nov. 29, 1990, and applicable with respect to certain actions for debts owed the United States pending in court on that effective date, see section 3631 of Pub. L. 101-647, set out as a note under section 3001 of this title.

Court: "Court" means any court created by the Congress of the United States, excluding the United States Tax Court.
Debt: "Debt" means-(A) an amount that is owing to the United States on account of a direct loan, or loan insured or guaranteed, by the United States; or(B) an amount that is owing to the United States on account of a fee, duty, lease, rent, service, sale of real or personal property, overpayment, fine, assessment, penalty, restitution, damages, interest, tax, bail bond forfeiture, reimbursement, recovery of a cost incurred by the United States, or other source of indebtedness to the United States, but that is not owing under the terms of a contract originally entered into by only persons other than the United States;and includes any amount owing to the United States for the benefit of an Indian tribe or individual Indian, but excludes any amount to which the United States is entitled under section 3011(a).
Debtor: "Debtor" means a person who is liable for a debt or against whom there is a claim for a debt.
Earnings: "Earnings" means compensation paid or payable for personal services, whether denominated as wages, salary, commission, bonus, or otherwise, and includes periodic payments pursuant to a pension or retirement program.
Judgment: "Judgment" means a judgment, order, or decree entered in favor of the United States in a court and arising from a civil or criminal proceeding regarding a debt.
Person: "Person" includes a natural person (including an individual Indian), a corporation, a partnership, an unincorporated association, a trust, or an estate, or any other public or private entity, including a State or local government or an Indian tribe.
Property: "Property" includes any present or future interest, whether legal or equitable, in real, personal (including choses in action), or mixed property, tangible or intangible, vested or contingent, wherever located and however held (including community property and property held in trust (including spendthrift and pension trusts)), but excludes-(A) property held in trust by the United States for the benefit of an Indian tribe or individual Indian; and(B) Indian lands subject to restrictions against alienation imposed by the United States.
State: "State" means any of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, or any territory or possession of the United States.
United States: "United States" means-(A) a Federal corporation;(B) an agency, department, commission, board, or other entity of the United States; or(C) an instrumentality of the United States.