Section 17522 Of Article 2. Collections And Enforcement From California Family Law Code >> Division 17. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 2.
17522
. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, if any support obligor is
delinquent in the payment of support for at least 30 days and the
local child support agency is enforcing the support obligation
pursuant to Section 17400, the local child support agency may collect
the delinquency or enforce any lien by levy served on all persons
having in their possession, or who will have in their possession or
under their control, any credits or personal property belonging to
the delinquent support obligor, or who owe any debt to the obligor at
the time they receive the notice of levy.
(b) A levy may be issued by a local child support agency for a
support obligation that accrued under a court order or judgment if
the obligor had notice of the accrued support arrearage as provided
in this section, and did not make a timely request for review.
(c) The notice requirement shall be satisfied by the local child
support agency sending a statement of support arrearages to the
obligor at the obligor's last known address by first-class mail,
postage prepaid. The notice shall advise the obligor of the amount of
the support arrearage. The notice shall advise the obligor that the
obligor may have the arrearage determination reviewed by
administrative procedures and state how the review may be obtained.
The local child support agency shall conduct the review pursuant to
this section in the same manner and timeframe provided for resolution
of a complaint pursuant to Section 17800. The notice shall also
advise the obligor of his or her right to seek a judicial
determination of arrearages pursuant to Section 17526 and shall
include a form to be filed with the court to request a judicial
determination of arrearages. If the obligor requests an
administrative review of the arrearage determination within 20 days
from the date the notice was mailed to the obligor, the local child
support agency may not issue the levy for a disputed amount of
support until the administrative review procedure is completed.
(d) If the obligor requests a judicial determination of the
arrearages within 20 days from the date the notice was mailed to the
obligor, the local child support agency shall not issue the levy for
a disputed amount of support until the judicial determination is
complete.
(e) Any person upon whom a levy has been served having in his or
her possession or under his or her control any credits or personal
property belonging to the delinquent support obligor or owing any
debts to the delinquent support obligor at the time of receipt of the
levy or coming into his or her possession or under his or her
control within one year of receipt of the notice of levy, shall
surrender the credits or personal property to the local child support
agency or pay to the local child support agency the amount of any
debt owing the delinquent support obligor within 10 days of service
of the levy, and shall surrender the credits or personal property, or
the amount of any debt owing to the delinquent support obligor
coming into his or her own possession or control within one year of
receipt of the notice of levy within 10 days of the date of coming
into possession or control of the credits or personal property or the
amount of any debt owing to the delinquent support obligor.
(f) Any person who surrenders any credits or personal property or
pays the debts owing the delinquent support obligor to the local
child support agency pursuant to this section shall be discharged
from any obligation or liability to the delinquent support obligor to
the extent of the amount paid to the local child support agency as a
result of the levy.
(g) If the levy is made on a deposit or credits or personal
property in the possession or under the control of a bank, savings
and loan association, or other financial institution as defined by
Section 669A(d)(1) of Title 42 of the United States Code, the notice
of levy may be delivered or mailed to a centralized location
designated by the bank, savings and loan association, or other
financial institution pursuant to Section 689.040 of the Code of
Civil Procedure.
(h) Any person who is served with a levy pursuant to this section
and who fails or refuses to surrender any credits or other personal
property or pay any debts owing to the delinquent support obligor
shall be liable in his or her own person or estate to the local child
support agency in an amount equal to the value of the credits or
other personal property or in the amount of the levy, up to the
amount specified in the levy.
(i) If any amount required to be paid pursuant to a levy under
this section is not paid when due, the local child support agency may
issue a warrant for enforcement of any lien and for the collection
of any amount required to be paid to the local child support agency
under this section. The warrant shall be directed to any sheriff,
marshal, or the Department of the California Highway Patrol and shall
have the same force and effect as a writ of execution. The warrant
shall be levied and sale made pursuant to it in the manner and with
the same force and effect as a levy and sale pursuant to a writ of
execution. The local child support agency may pay or advance to the
levying officer the same fees, commissions, and expenses for his or
her services under this section as are provided by law for similar
services pursuant to a writ of execution, except for those fees and
expenses for which a district attorney is exempt by law from paying.
The local child support agency, and not the court, shall approve the
fees for publication in a newspaper.
(j) The fees, commissions, expenses, and the reasonable costs
associated with the sale of property levied upon by warrant or levy
pursuant to this section, including, but not limited to, appraisers'
fees, auctioneers' fees, and advertising fees are an obligation of
the support obligor and may be collected from the obligor by virtue
of the warrant or levy or in any other manner as though these items
were support payments delinquent for at least 30 days.