5230. Executions. (a) Form. An execution shall specify the date that the judgment or order was entered, the court in which it was entered, the amount of the judgment or order and the amount due thereon and it shall specify the names of the parties in whose favor and against whom the judgment or order was entered. An execution shall direct that only the property in which a named judgment debtor or obligor who is not deceased has an interest, or the debts owed to the named judgment debtor or obligor, be levied upon or sold thereunder and shall specify the last known address of that judgment debtor or obligor. Except in cases when the state of New York, or any of its agencies or municipal corporations is the judgment creditor, or if the debt enforced is for child support, spousal support, maintenance or alimony, provided that in those instances the execution contains a legend at the top thereof, above the caption, in sixteen point bold type with the following language: "The judgment creditor is the state of New York, or any of its agencies or municipal corporations, AND/OR the debt enforced is for child support, spousal support, maintenance or alimony.", an execution notice shall state that, pursuant to subdivision (l) of section fifty-two hundred five of this article, two thousand five hundred dollars of an account containing direct deposit or electronic payments reasonably identifiable as statutorily exempt payments, as defined in paragraph two of subdivision (l) of section fifty-two hundred five of this article, is exempt from execution and that the garnishee cannot levy upon or restrain two thousand five hundred dollars in such an account. Except in cases when the state of New York, or any of its agencies or municipal corporations is the judgment creditor, or if the debt enforced is for child support, spousal support, maintenance or alimony, provided that in those instances the execution contains a legend at the top thereof, above the caption, in sixteen point bold type with the following language: "The judgment creditor is the state of New York, or any of its agencies or municipal corporations, AND/OR the debt enforced is for child support, spousal support, maintenance or alimony.", an execution notice shall likewise state that pursuant to subdivision (i) of section fifty-two hundred twenty-two of this article, an execution shall not apply to an amount equal to or less than ninety percent of the greater of two hundred forty times the federal minimum hourly wage prescribed in the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 or two hundred forty times the state minimum hourly wage prescribed in section six hundred fifty-two of the labor law as in effect at the time the earnings are payable, except such part as a court determines to be unnecessary for the reasonable requirements of the judgment debtor and his or her dependents. Where the judgment or order was entered in a court other than the supreme, county or a family court, the execution shall also specify the date on which a transcript of the judgment or order was filed with the clerk of the county in which the judgment was entered. Where jurisdiction in the action was based upon a levy upon property or debt pursuant to an order of attachment, the execution shall also state that fact, describe all property and debts levied upon, and direct that only such property and debts be sold thereunder. Where the judgment or order was recovered for all or part of a mortgage debt, the execution shall also describe the mortgaged property, specify the book and page where the mortgage is recorded, and direct that no part of the mortgaged property be levied upon or sold thereunder.
(b) Issuance. At any time before a judgment or order is satisfied or vacated, an execution may be issued from the supreme court, county court or a family court, in the county in which the judgment was first docketed, by the clerk of the court or the attorney for the judgment creditor as officer of the court, to the sheriffs of one or more counties of the state, directing each of them to satisfy the judgment or order out of the real and personal property of the judgment debtor or obligor and the debts due to him or her. Where the judgment or order is for support and is payable to the support collection unit designated by the appropriate social services district, such unit shall be authorized to issue the execution and to satisfy the judgment or order out of the real and personal property of the judgment debtor or obligor and the debts due to him or her.
(c) Return. An execution shall be returned to the clerk of the court from which it was issued or to the support collection unit within sixty days after issuance unless the execution has been served in accordance with section 5231 or subdivision (a) of section 5232. The time may be extended in writing for a period of not more than sixty additional days by the attorney for the judgment creditor or by the support collection unit. Further like extensions may be given by the attorney for the judgment creditor or by the support collection unit unless another execution against the same judgment debtor or obligor has been delivered to the same enforcement officer and has not been returned.
(d) Records of sheriff or support collection unit. Each sheriff or support collection unit shall keep a record of executions delivered showing the names of the parties and the judgment debtor or obligor; the dates of issue and return; the date and time of delivery, which shall be endorsed upon the execution; the amount due at the time the execution was delivered; and the amount of the judgment or order and of the sheriff's fees unpaid, if any, at the time of the return.
(e) For the purposes of this section "order" shall mean an order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction directing the payment of support, alimony or maintenance upon which a "default" as defined in paragraph seven of subdivision (a) of section fifty-two hundred forty-one of this article has been established subject to the procedures established for the determination of a "mistake of fact" for income executions pursuant to subdivision (e) of section fifty-two hundred forty-one of this article, except that for the purposes of this section only, a default shall not be founded upon retroactive child support obligations as defined in paragraph (a) of subdivision one of section four hundred forty of the family court act and subdivision one of section two hundred forty, and paragraph b of subdivision nine of section two hundred thirty-six of the domestic relations law.
Last modified: February 3, 2019