Federal · Title 28 — Judiciary and Judicial Procedure

28 U.S.C. § 3105: Sequestration

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Any income from property in which the debtor has a substantial nonexempt interest may be sequestered pursuant to a writ of sequestration in an action or proceeding against a debtor on a claim for a debt and may be held as security to satisfy such judgment, and interest and costs, as the United States may recover on such claim. property securing the debt; and property attached, garnished, or in receivership under this subchapter. the contract is not fully secured by real or personal property; or the value of the original security is substantially diminished, without any act of the United States or the person to whom the security was given, below the amount of the debt; in an action against the debtor for damages in tort; if the debtor resides outside the jurisdiction of the United States; or in an action to recover a fine, penalty, or tax. Subject to subsections (a) and (b), a writ of sequestration shall be issued by the court directing the United States marshal of the district where income described in subsection (a) is located to sequester the income. Several writs of sequestration may be issued at the same time, or in succession, and sent to different judicial districts until sufficient income is sequestered. the date of the issuance of the writ; the identity of the court, the docket number of the action, and the identity of the cause of action; the name and last known address of the debtor; the amount to be secured by the sequestration; and a reasonable description of the income to be sequestered. The United States marshal receiving the writ shall proceed without delay to execute the writ. the debtor against whom the writ is issued; and the person who has possession of the income subject to the writ; A person who has possession of the income subject to a writ of sequestration shall deposit such income with the clerk of the court, accompanied by a statement in writing stating the person’s name, the name of the debtor, the amount of such income, the property from which such income is produced, and the period during which such income is produced. A United States marshal executing a writ of sequestration shall return the writ with the marshal’s action endorsed thereon or attached thereto and signed by the marshal, to the court from which it was issued, within 5 days after the date of the execution. The return shall describe the income sequestered with sufficient certainty to identify it and shall state the location where it was sequestered, and the date and time it was sequestered. If no income was sequestered, the return shall so state. If sequestered income is claimed after the return, the United States marshal shall immediately make a further return to the clerk of the court showing the disposition of the income. If an excessive or unreasonable sequestration is made, the debtor may submit a motion to the court for a reduction of the amount of the sequestration or its dissolution. Notice of such motion shall be served on the United States. The court shall order a part of the income to be released, if after a hearing the court finds that the amount of the sequestration is excessive or unreasonable or if the sequestration is for an amount larger than the sum of the liquidated or ascertainable amount of the debt and the amount of interest and costs likely to be taxed. The court shall dissolve the sequestration if the amount of the debt is unliquidated and unascertainable by calculation. If personal property in custody of the United States marshal under a writ of sequestration is not claimed, the court may make such order for its preservation or use as appears to be in the interest of the parties. On entry of judgment for the United States, the court shall order the sequestered income to be applied to the satisfaction of the judgment. If the sequestration is vacated or if the judgment on the claim for the debt is for the person against whom the writ of sequestration is issued, the court shall order the income restored to the debtor.

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