Article 1 - General Provisions

California Code of Civil Procedure — §§ 488.010-488.140

Sections (15)

§ 488.010

Repealed and added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1198, Sec. 50. Operative July 1, 1983, by Sec. 70 of Ch. 1198.

The writ of attachment shall include the following information:

(a)The date of issuance of the writ.

(b)The title of the court that issued the writ and the cause and number of the action.

(c)The name and address of the plaintiff and the name and last known address of the defendant.

(d)The amount to be secured by the attachment.

(e)A description of the property to be levied upon to satisfy the attachment.

§ 488.020

Repealed and added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1198, Sec. 50. Operative July 1, 1983, by Sec. 70 of Ch. 1198.

(a)A writ of attachment shall be directed to a levying officer in the county in which property of the defendant described in the writ may be located and to any registered process server.

(b)Upon the receipt of written instructions from the plaintiff’s attorney of record or, if the plaintiff has no attorney of record, from the plaintiff, the levying officer to whom the writ is directed and delivered shall levy the writ without delay in the manner provided in this chapter on the property described in the writ or so much thereof as is clearly sufficient to satisfy

the amount to be secured by the attachment. The levying officer is not liable for a determination made in good faith under this subdivision.

(c)If a copy of the summons and complaint has not previously been served on the defendant, the instructions to the levying officer shall instruct the levying officer to make the service at the same time the levying officer serves the defendant with a copy of the writ of attachment.

§ 488.030

Repealed and added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1198, Sec. 50. Operative July 1, 1983, by Sec. 70 of Ch. 1198.

(a)The plaintiff shall give the levying officer instructions in writing. The instructions shall be signed by the plaintiff’s attorney of record or, if the plaintiff does not have an attorney of record, by the plaintiff. The instructions shall contain the information needed or requested by the levying officer to comply with the provisions of this title, including but not limited to:

(1)An adequate description of any property to be levied upon.

(2)A statement whether the property is a dwelling.

(3)If the property is a dwelling, whether it is real or personal property.

(b)Subject to subdivision (c), the levying officer shall act in accordance with the written instructions to the extent the actions are taken in conformance with the provisions of this title.

(c)Except to the extent the levying officer has actual knowledge that the information is incorrect, the levying officer may rely on any information contained in the written instructions.

§ 488.040

Repealed and added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1198, Sec. 50. Operative July 1, 1983, by Sec. 70 of Ch. 1198.

(a)If the levying officer is required by any provision of this title to serve any writ, order, notice, or other paper on any person, the plaintiff shall include in the instructions to the levying officer the correct name and address of the person. The plaintiff shall use reasonable diligence to ascertain the correct name and address of the person.

(b)Unless the levying officer has actual knowledge that the name or address included in the instructions is incorrect, the levying officer shall rely on the instructions in serving the writ, order, notice, or other

paper on the person.

§ 488.050

Repealed and added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1198, Sec. 50. Operative July 1, 1983, by Sec. 70 of Ch. 1198.

(a)Except as otherwise provided by law:

(1)As a prerequisite to the performance by the levying officer of a duty under this title, the plaintiff shall deposit a sum of money with the levying officer sufficient to pay the costs of performing the duty.

(2)As a prerequisite to the taking of property into custody by the levying officer under this chapter, whether by keeper or otherwise, the plaintiff shall deposit with the levying officer a sum of money sufficient to pay the costs of taking the

property and keeping it safely for a period not to exceed 15 days. If continuation of the custody of the property is required, the levying officer shall, from time to time, demand orally or in writing that the plaintiff deposit additional amounts to cover estimated costs for periods not to exceed 30 days each. A written demand may be mailed or delivered to the plaintiff. The plaintiff has not less than three business days after receipt of the demand within which to comply with the demand. If the amount demanded is not paid within the time specified in the oral or written demand, the levying officer shall release the property.

(b)The levying officer is not liable for failure to take or hold property unless the plaintiff has complied with the provisions of this section.

§ 488.060

Repealed and added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1198, Sec. 50. Operative July 1, 1983, by Sec. 70 of Ch. 1198.

The notice of attachment shall inform the person notified of all of the following:

(a)The capacity in which the person is notified.

(b)The specific property which is sought to be attached.

(c)The person’s rights under the attachment, including the right to make a third-party claim pursuant to Division 4 (commencing with Section 720.010) of Title 9.

(d)The person’s duties under the attachment.

§ 488.065

Added by Stats. 1984, Ch. 759, Sec. 1.

A copy of the original notice of attachment which has been served upon a third party holding the property sought to be attached, if served upon the defendant or any other party, shall suffice as the notice of attachment to that person.

§ 488.070

Repealed and added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1198, Sec. 50. Operative July 1, 1983, by Sec. 70 of Ch. 1198.

If a writ of attachment has been issued and personal property sought to be attached under the writ is located in a private place of the defendant:

(a)The levying officer shall comply with the provisions of Section 699.030.

(b)The plaintiff may obtain the relief provided under Section 699.030 in the manner and subject to the requirements of that section.

§ 488.080

Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 102, Sec. 1. (AB 2211) Effective January 1, 2017.

(a)A registered process server may levy under a writ of attachment on the following types of property:

(1)Real property, pursuant to Section 488.315.

(2)Growing crops, timber to be cut, or minerals or the like, including oil and gas, to be extracted or accounts

receivable resulting from the sale thereof at the wellhead or minehead, pursuant to Section 488.325.

(3)Personal property in the custody of a levying officer, pursuant to Section 488.355.

(4)Equipment of a going business, pursuant to Section 488.375.

(5)Motor vehicles, vessels, mobilehomes, or commercial coaches used as equipment of a going business, pursuant to Section 488.385.

(6)Farm products or inventory of a going business, pursuant to Section 488.405.

(7)Personal property used as a dwelling, pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 700.080.

(8)Deposit accounts, pursuant to Section 488.455.

(9)Property in a safe-deposit box, pursuant to Section 488.460.

(10)Accounts receivable or general intangibles, pursuant to Section 488.470.

(11)Final money judgments, pursuant to Section 488.480.

(12)Interest of a defendant in personal property in the estate of a decedent, pursuant to Section 488.485.

(b)Before levying under the writ of attachment, the registered process server shall cause to be deposited with the levying officer a copy of the writ and the fee, as provided by Section 26721 of the Government Code.

(c)If a registered process server levies on property pursuant to subdivision (a), the registered process

server shall do both of the following:

(1)Comply with the applicable levy, posting, and service provisions of Article 2 (commencing with Section 488.300).

(2)Request any third person served to give a garnishee’s memorandum to the levying officer in compliance with Section 488.610 on a form provided by the registered process server.

(d)Within five court days after levy under this section, all of the following shall be filed with the levying officer:

(1)The writ of attachment.

(2)A proof of service by the registered process server stating the manner of levy performed.

(3)Proof of service of the copy of the writ and notice

of attachment on other persons, as required by Article 2 (commencing with Section 488.300).

(4)Instructions in writing, as required by the provisions of Section 488.030.

(e)If the fee provided by Section 26721 of the Government Code has been paid, the levying officer shall perform all other duties under the writ as if the levying officer had levied under the writ and shall return the writ to the court. If the registered process server does not comply with subdivisions (b) and (d), the levy is ineffective and the levying officer shall not be required to perform any duties under the writ, and may issue a release for any property sought to be attached. The levying officer is not liable for actions taken in conformance with the provisions of this title in reliance on information provided to the levying officer under subdivision (d), except to the extent that the levying officer has

actual knowledge that the information is incorrect. Nothing in this subdivision limits any liability the plaintiff or registered process server may have if the levying officer acts on the basis of incorrect information provided under subdivision (d).

(f)The fee for services of a registered process server under this section is a recoverable cost pursuant to Section 1033.5.

§ 488.090

Repealed and added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1198, Sec. 50. Operative July 1, 1983, by Sec. 70 of Ch. 1198.

Except as otherwise provided by statute, where the method of levy upon property requires that property be taken into custody or where the levying officer is otherwise directed to take property into custody, the levying officer may do so by any of the following methods:

(a)Removing the property to a place of safekeeping.

(b)Installing a keeper.

(c)Otherwise obtaining possession or control of the property.

§ 488.100

Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1198, Sec. 50. Operative July 1, 1983, by Sec. 70 of Ch. 1198.

The levying officer has a special lien, dependent upon possession, on personal property levied upon in the amount of the levying officer’s costs for which an advance has not been made.

§ 488.110

Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1198, Sec. 50. Operative July 1, 1983, by Sec. 70 of Ch. 1198.

A third person shall claim an interest in property attached in the manner provided for third-party claims under Division 4 (commencing with Section 720.010) of Title 9.

§ 488.120

Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1198, Sec. 50. Operative July 1, 1983, by Sec. 70 of Ch. 1198.

In any case where property has been levied upon and, pursuant to a levy, a copy of the writ of attachment and a notice of attachment are required by statute to be posted or to be served on or mailed to the defendant or other person, failure to post, serve, or mail the copy of the writ and the notice does not affect the attachment lien created by the levy.

§ 488.130

Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1198, Sec. 50. Operative July 1, 1983, by Sec. 70 of Ch. 1198.

(a)The levying officer to whom the writ of attachment is delivered shall return the writ to the court from which the writ issued, together with a report of the levying officer’s actions. The return shall be made promptly in accordance with the plaintiff’s instructions given to the levying officer but in no event later than 60 days after the levying officer receives the writ.

(b)The levying officer shall make a full inventory of property attached and return the inventory with the writ.

§ 488.140

Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 155, Sec. 5.5. Effective June 30, 1983. Operative July 1, 1983, by Sec. 32 of Ch. 155.

(a)The levying officer or registered process server is not liable for actions taken in conformance with the provisions of this title, including actions taken in conformance with the provisions of this title in reliance on information contained in the written instructions of the plaintiff except to the extent the levying officer or registered process server has actual knowledge that the information is incorrect. Nothing in this subdivision limits any liability the plaintiff may have if the levying officer or registered process server acts on the basis of incorrect information given in the written

instructions.

(b)Unless the levying officer is negligent in the care or handling of the property, the levying officer is not liable to either the plaintiff or the defendant for loss by fire, theft, injury, or damage of any kind to personal property while (1) in the possession of the levying officer either in a warehouse or other storage place or in the custody of a keeper or (2) in transit to or from a warehouse or other storage place.