Delaware Code Title 19 Sec. 3368 – Execution of judgments
(a) In general. —
Terms Used In Delaware Code Title 19 Sec. 3368
- Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
- Assessments: means the money payments to the State Unemployment Compensation Fund required by this chapter. See Delaware Code Title 19 Sec. 3302
- Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Department: means the Department of Labor. See Delaware Code Title 19 Sec. 3302
- Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
- Employer: means :
(A) (i) Any employing unit which after December 31, 1971,
(I) In any calendar quarter in either the current or preceding calendar year paid for service in employment wages of $1,500 or more, or
(II) For some portion of a day in each of 20 different calendar weeks, whether or not such weeks were consecutive, in either the current or preceding calendar year, had in employment at least 1 individual (irrespective of whether the same individual was in employment in each such day);
(ii) Any employing unit for which agricultural labor as defined in paragraph (11)(A)(vii) of this section is performed after December 31, 1977;
(iii) Any employing unit for which domestic service as defined in paragraph (11)(B) of this section is performed after December 31, 1977;
(iv) (I) In determining whether or not an employing unit for which service other than domestic service is also performed is an employer under paragraphs (8)(A)(i) and (ii) of this section the wages earned or the employment of an employee performing domestic service after December 31, 1977, shall not be taken into account;
(II) In determining whether or not an employing unit for which service other than agricultural labor is also performed is an employer under paragraphs (8)(A)(i) and (iii) of this section, the wages earned or the employment of an employee performing service in agricultural labor after December 31, 1977, shall not be taken into account. See Delaware Code Title 19 Sec. 3302
- Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
- Garnishment: Generally, garnishment is a court proceeding in which a creditor asks a court to order a third party who owes money to the debtor or otherwise holds assets belonging to the debtor to turn over to the creditor any of the debtor
- Personal property: All property that is not real property.
- State: means the State of Delaware; and when applied to different parts of the United States, it includes the District of Columbia and the several territories and possessions of the United States. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
- Wages: means all remuneration for personal services, including commissions, bonuses, dismissal payments, holiday pay, back pay awards and the cash value of all remuneration in any medium other than cash. See Delaware Code Title 19 Sec. 3302
If an employer liable to pay any assessment, interest, or penalty under this title neglects or refuses to pay the amount after a judgment has been obtained under § 3361 of this title, or otherwise, the Department may execute on the judgment.
(b) Warrants for levy and sale of property. —
The Department may issue a warrant directed to the sheriff of any county of this State commanding the sheriff to levy on and sell the personal or real property of the employer for the payment of the amount of the judgment and the cost of executing the warrant. The sheriff shall return the warrant to the Department and pay to the Department the money collected by virtue thereof within 60 days after receipt of the warrant. A copy of the warrant must be filed with the prothonotary of Superior Court and noticed on the regular judgment docket. All sales of real and personal property under authority of this section must be made under the provisions of Title 10.
(c) Garnishment of bank accounts of employers. —
Notwithstanding § 3502 or § 4913(b) of Title 10, the Department may issue a notice of garnishment directed to a bank, commanding the garnishee to set aside, account for, and pay over to the Department on account of the debt any property owed to or held for the employer debtor by the bank on the date of service of the notice of garnishment. A copy of the notice of garnishment or an abstract thereof must be filed with the prothonotary of Superior Court and the fact of the garnishment noticed on the regular judgment docket.
(d) Garnishment of wages, salaries, and other amounts due from employers. —
The Department may issue a notice of garnishment directed to a person owing to or holding for an employer who is a judgment debtor any wages, salaries, money, credits and effects, contract rights, or securities. The notice of garnishment must command the garnishee to set aside, account for, and pay over to the Department on account of the judgment all property then in the garnishee’s possession or which may become due to the judgment debtor by the garnishee, until the judgment and costs of execution are paid. A copy of the notice of garnishment or an abstract thereof must be filed with the prothonotary of Superior Court and the fact of the garnishment noticed on the regular judgment docket. The Department shall notify the garnishee in writing when the judgment and costs have been satisfied.
(e) Duties of garnishee and penalties for failure to garnish. —
(1) A person receiving a notice of garnishment under subsection (c) or (d) of this section shall respond to the Department within 20 days after service of the notice, not counting the date of service.
(2) A garnishee who knowingly fails to comply with a notice of garnishment after notice and assessment under subsection (d) of this section is liable for a penalty equal to the amount the garnishee was required to set aside, account for, and pay over to the Department.
(3) Within 30 days after the date of mailing of a notice of proposed assessment of a penalty under this subsection, the garnishee may file a written protest against the proposed assessment of penalty with the Department in which the garnishee must set forth the grounds on which the protest is based. If a protest is filed, the Director of the Division of Unemployment Insurance, as designee of the Secretary of Labor, shall reconsider the proposed assessment of penalty and, if requested by the garnishee, shall grant the garnishee an oral hearing before an appeals tribunal under § 3319 of this title. The appeals tribunal decision is final and not subject to further appeal.
(4) A penalty under paragraph (e)(2) of this section becomes final 30 days after the mailing of the notice of proposed assessment of the penalty, except for those amounts for which the garnishee has filed a timely written protest with the Department under paragraph (e)(3) of this section.
(f) Notwithstanding § 3502 of Title 10, property, legal or equitable, wages, salaries, deposits, or moneys in banks, savings institutions, or loan associations, or other property or income of an employer owing tax assessments to the Department is not exempt from execution or attachment process issued on, or from collection of, a judgment obtained under § 3361 of this title.