MCA Chapter 23

in effect

Miss. Code Ann. § 11-23-1 Proceedings when third person claims subject of action.

Upon affidavit of a defendant, before pleas filed in any action in a circuit court upon contract or for the recovery of personal property, that a third party, without collusion with him, has a claim to the subject of the action, and that he is ready to pay or dispose of the same as the court may direct, the court may make an order for the safekeeping or payment, or deposit in court, or delivery of the subject matter of the action to such person as it may direct, and an order requiring such third party to be summoned to appear in a reasonable time and maintain or relinquish his claim against the defendant. If such third party, being duly summoned, as provided for in the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure, shall fail to appear, the court may declare him barred of all claim in respect to the subject of the action against the defendant therein; but if such third party appear, he shall be allowed to make himself defendant in the action at law instead of the original defendant, who shall be discharged from all liability to either of the other parties, in respect to the subject of the action, upon his compliance with the order of the court for the payment, deposit, or delivery thereof. If the claim of such third party extend to only a part of the subject matter of the action, similar proceedings may be had respecting the part so claimed, and the action shall proceed as to the residue as in other cases.

Miss. Code Ann. § 11-23-3 Third party proceeding applicable to officers.

The provisions of the Section 11-23-1 shall be applicable to any action brought in a circuit court against a sheriff or other officer for the recovery of personal property taken by him under executions or attachment, or for the proceeds of property so taken and sold by him; and the defendant in any such action shall have the benefit of said provisions against the party in whose favor the execution or attachment issued by making affidavit that the property, for the recovery of which or its proceeds the action is brought, was taken under process, describing it; and in such case the judgment of the court shall be framed to effect justice between the parties according to their rights.

Miss. Code Ann. § 11-23-5 Repealed.

Repealed by Laws, 1991, ch. 573, § 141, eff from and after July 1, 1991. [Codes, 1857, ch. 61, art. 177; 1871, § 659; 1880, § 1580; 1892, § 716; 1906, § 774; Hemingway’s 1917, § 557; 1930, § 566; 1942, § 1510]

Miss. Code Ann. § 11-23-7 Claim to property levied on; how interposed.

When any person not a party to the execution shall claim to be the owner of or to have a lien on any personal property levied upon, such person may make affidavit to his right or title to the property, and may enter into bond, payable to the plaintiff in the execution, with one or more sufficient sureties, in the penalty of double the value of the property claimed, or in double the amount of the execution, if that be less than the value of the property, to be estimated by the officer holding the execution, and indorsed thereon, conditioned for the prosecution of the claim with effect, or, in case of failure therein, for the payment to the plaintiff in the execution of all damages that may be awarded against the claimant, and for the delivery of the property to the proper officer; and upon the making of the affidavit and bond, the officer holding the execution shall receive the same, and shall deliver the property to the claimant, and return the affidavit and bond with the execution. The claim may be interposed without giving bond, and the same proceedings be had thereon except that the property claimed shall not be delivered to the claimant, but shall be sold, as provided in case of property of like kind seized in replevin, or, if not such as should be sold, shall be held by the officer. The bond of the claimant shall stand as security to the parties to the action and judgment may be rendered on it according to the exigency.

Miss. Code Ann. § 11-23-9 Execution stayed for value of property claimed, unless.

Further proceedings on the execution shall be stayed for an amount equal to the value of the property claimed, as returned by the officer, until final decision of the claim; and on all subsequent executions issued on the judgment prior to the final decision of the claim, the clerk shall indorse the amount of the estimated value for the government of the officer to whom the same may be directed; but the plaintiff may dismiss the levy, and have execution as if it were never made.

Miss. Code Ann. § 11-23-11 Issue to be made up.

Upon the return of the execution with the affidavit and bond, if any, the court shall, on motion of the plaintiff in execution, direct an issue to be made up between the parties to try the right of property at the same term, unless good cause be shown for a continuance.

Miss. Code Ann. § 11-23-13 Default in making up issue.

If by default of the plaintiff in execution an issue for the trial of the right of property be not made up at the term to which the execution is returnable, the court shall discharge the claimant from his bond, and the property shall not thereafter be subject to execution on plaintiff’s judgment; but if the claimant fail to join issue when tendered at the first term, the court, at the instance of the plaintiff in execution, shall order a writ of inquiry as to the value of the property, and also to inquire whether or not the claim was made for fraudulent purposes or for purposes of delay.

Miss. Code Ann. § 11-23-15 Burden of proof on plaintiff; trial of issue.

On the trial of the issue, the burden of proof shall be on the plaintiff in execution, and the issue shall be tried as in ordinary actions at law, and either party shall have the same rights as in other trials. The jury trying the issue, in case it find in favor of the plaintiff in execution, shall assess the value of the property subject to the execution, and shall certify whether the claim was made for fraudulent purposes or for delay. The valuation of the officer taking the bond of the claimant shall be prima facie evidence of the value of the property; and in case the jury fail to find the value of the property, the plaintiff may, at his election, take judgment for the value as returned by the officer, or have a writ of inquiry.

Miss. Code Ann. § 11-23-17 The judgment.

If the verdict be in favor of the plaintiff in execution, either on an issue joined or on an inquiry by default, or in case the plaintiff take judgment by default, and elect to take the value as returned by the officer, the court shall render judgment against the claimant and the sureties on his bond, for the restoration of the specific property to the officer, if to be had, and, if not, for the payment of its value not exceeding the amount of the original judgment to the plaintiff, and all costs. If the jury find that the claim was made for fraudulent purposes, or for delay, the judgment shall also award the plaintiff ten per centum damages on the value of the property. If the property be restored to the officer, it shall be sold, under a venditioni exponas to be issued for that purpose, as if the claim had not been made. If bond be not given, and the property or its proceeds be in the hands of the officer, the judgment may be modified accordingly. If the verdict be in favor of the claimant, he shall recover his costs, the levy shall be removed, the claimant shall be discharged from his bond, and the property shall not thereafter be subject to execution on plaintiff’s judgment.

Miss. Code Ann. § 11-23-19 Laws applicable in case of death.

All the provisions of law in reference to the death of either party, and the revival of the cause, in personal actions, and the death of any of the obligors, in a bond given in the progress of a cause, and the proceedings thereon before or after judgment, shall apply to proceedings under Sections 11-23-7 through 11-23-29; but in case the claimant shall die before judgment, and there be no representative of his estate, judgment shall be entered against the sureties on his bond for the property, or the value thereof, as assessed by the sheriff, or to be found by the verdict of a jury impaneled to inquire of the same, at the option of the plaintiff, with interest on such value from the date of the claimant’s bond.

Miss. Code Ann. § 11-23-21 New bond may be required.

If the sureties on the claimant’s bond shall become insufficient, the court, on motion of the plaintiff, may require the claimant to give a new bond or to surrender to the officer the property claimed. If new bond be given, the sureties thereon shall be jointly liable with the sureties on the first bond, but if the claimant fail to give a new bond and to surrender the property, judgment shall be rendered against him and the sureties on his bond as by default. If the claimant surrender the property as required, the sureties on the bond given shall thereby be discharged, and the cause shall be proceeded with as if the officer had retained the property in the first instance.

Miss. Code Ann. § 11-23-23 Venue changed in certain cases.

If the claimant shall not be a resident of the county in which the execution is issued, and the property be levied on in the county of his residence, the venue for the trial of the issue may be changed, on his application, to the circuit court of the county of his residence, and the result shall be certified to the court. The procedure governing a claimant’s objection to venue and transfer thereof shall be as provided for in the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure.

Miss. Code Ann. § 11-23-25 Proceedings in justice’s court.

If the claim be interposed in a court of a justice of the peace, on filing the affidavit and bond, or the affidavit, if a bond be not given, the justice shall fix a day for the trial, and give notice thereof to the parties.

Miss. Code Ann. § 11-23-27 Form of a claimant’s affidavit.

A claimant’s affidavit may be in the following form, viz.: State of Mississippi, County: “Before me, , a justice of the peace of said county, makes oath that a certain [here describe the property], levied on by virtue of an execution in favor of against , issued by , a justice of the peace of said county, on the day of , A. D. , and now in the hands of , a of county, under said execution, is the property of affiant, and is not the property of . “Sworn to and subscribed before me, , A. D. , J. P.” Click to view

Miss. Code Ann. § 11-23-29 Form of a claimant’s bond.

A claimant’s bond may be in the following form, viz.: “We, , principal, and and , sureties, bind ourselves to pay dollars, unless the said shall prosecute with effect his claim to a [here describe the property], levied on by virtue of an execution issued on the day of , A.D. , by court of county, in favor of against , returnable before the court on the day of , A.D. , and valued at dollars: or, in case he fail therein, shall pay to the said all such damages as may be awarded against the said , in case his claim shall not be sustained, and shall deliver the same property to the officer having said execution, if the claim thereto shall be determined against the said . “Witness our hands, this day of , A. D. . “ , “ , “ , “I approve the foregoing bond and sureties, this the day of , A.D. . Sheriff.” Click to view