Chapter 2716 | Garnishment

Section 2716.01 | Garnishing personal earnings or property of judgment debtor.

• Effective: March 22, 2001
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 180 - 123rd General Assembly

(A) A person who obtains a judgment against another person may garnish the personal earnings of the person against whom judgment was obtained only through a proceeding in garnishment of personal earnings and only in accordance with this chapter.

(B) A person who obtains a judgment against another person may garnish the property, other than personal earnings, of the person against whom judgment was obtained, if the property is in the possession of a person other than the person against whom judgment was obtained, only through a proceeding in garnishment and only in accordance with this chapter.

(C) As used in this chapter:

(1) "Employer" means a person who is required to withhold taxes out of payments of personal earnings made to a judgment debtor.

(2) "Personal earnings" means money, or any other consideration or thing of value, that is paid or due to a person in exchange for work, labor, or personal services provided by the person to an employer.

(3) "Judgment creditor" means a person who has obtained a judgment in a civil action against another person.

(4) "Judgment debtor" means a person against whom a judgment has been obtained in a civil action.

(5) "Support order" has the same meaning as in section 3119.01 of the Revised Code.

Section 2716.02 | Form for notice of court proceeding to collect debt.

• Effective: September 30, 2008
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 281 - 127th General Assembly

(A) Any person seeking an order of garnishment of personal earnings, after obtaining a judgment, shall make the following demand in writing for the excess of the amount of the judgment over the amount of personal earnings that may be exempt from execution, garnishment, attachment, or sale to satisfy a judgment or order, or for so much of the excess as will satisfy the judgment. The demand shall be made after the judgment is obtained and at least fifteen days and not more than forty-five days before the order is sought by delivering it to the judgment debtor by personal service by the court, by sending it to the judgment debtor by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by sending it to the judgment debtor by regular mail evidenced by a properly completed and stamped certificate of mailing by regular mail, addressed to the judgment debtor's last known place of residence.

The demand shall be in substantially the following form:

"NOTICE OF COURT PROCEEDING TO COLLECT DEBT

Date of mailing or date of service by the court ______________

To: ______________________________

(Name of Judgment Debtor)

__________________________________

(Last Known Residence Address of Judgment Debtor)

You owe the undersigned _______________________ (Name of Judgment Creditor) $__________, including interest and court costs, for which a judgment was obtained against you or certified in the __________ court on __________, payment of which is hereby demanded.

If you do not do one of the three things listed below within fifteen days of the date of the mailing of this notice or of its service by the court, we will go to court, unless we are otherwise precluded by law from doing so, and ask that your employer be ordered to withhold money from your earnings until the judgment is paid in full or, if applicable, is paid to a certain extent and to pay the withheld money to the court in satisfaction of your debt. This is called garnishment of personal earnings.

It is to your advantage to avoid garnishment of personal earnings because the placing of the extra burden on your employer possibly could cause you to lose your job.

YOU CAN AVOID THE GARNISHMENT BY DOING ONE OF THESE THREE THINGS WITHIN THE FIFTEEN-DAY PERIOD:

(1) Pay to us the amount due;

(2) Complete the attached form entitled "Payment to Avoid Garnishment" and return it to us with the payment, if any, shown due on it; or

(3) Apply to your local municipal or county court or, if you are not a resident of Ohio, to the municipal or county court in whose jurisdiction your place of employment is located, for the appointment of a trustee to receive the part of your earnings that is not exempt from garnishment, and notify us that you have applied for the appointment of a trustee. You will be required to list your creditors, the amounts of their claims, and the amounts due on their claims, and the amount you then will pay to your trustee each payday will be divided among them until the debts are paid off. This can be to your advantage because in the meantime none of those creditors can garnish your wages.

You also may contact a budget and debt counseling service described in division (D) of section 2716.03 of the Revised Code for the purpose of entering into an agreement for debt scheduling. There may not be enough time to set up an agreement for debt scheduling in order to avoid a garnishment of your wages based upon this demand for payment, but entering into an agreement for debt scheduling might protect you from future garnishments of your wages. Under an agreement for debt scheduling, you will have to regularly pay a portion of your income to the service until the debts subject to the agreement are paid off. This portion of your income will be paid by the service to your creditors who are owed debts subject to the agreement. This can be to your advantage because these creditors cannot garnish your wages while you make your payments to the service on time.

______________________________

(Name of Judgment Creditor)

______________________________

(Signature of Judgment Creditor - or Judgment Creditor's Attorney)

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

(Address of Judgment Creditor)

PAYMENT TO AVOID GARNISHMENT

To: ______________________________

(Name of Judgment Creditor)

__________________________________

__________________________________

(Address of Judgment Creditor)

To avoid the garnishment of personal earnings of which you have given me notice, I enclose $ _______________ to apply toward my indebtedness to you. The amount of the payment was computed as follows:

1. Total amount of indebtedness demanded: (1) $__________

2. Enter the amount of your personal earnings, after deductions required by law, earned by you

during the current pay period (that is, the pay

period in which this demand is received

by you): (2) $___________

3. (A) Enter your pay period (weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, monthly): (3)(A) __________

(B) Enter the date when your present pay period ends: (3)(B) __________

4. Enter an amount equal to 25% of the amount on line (2): (4) ______________

5. (A) The current federal minimum hourly wage is __________ (to be filled in by Judgment Creditor) (You should use the above figure to complete this portion of the form.) If you are paid weekly, enter thirty times the current federal minimum hourly wage; if paid biweekly, enter sixty times the current federal minimum hourly wage; if paid semimonthly, enter sixty-five times the current federal minimum hourly wage; if paid monthly, enter one hundred thirty times the current federal minimum hourly wage: (5)(A) ________ -

(B) Enter the amount by which the amount on line (2) exceeds the amount on line 5(A): (5)(B)__________ -

6. Enter the smallest of the amounts on line (1), (4), or 5(B). Send this amount to the judgment creditor along with this form after you have signed it: (6) $___________ -

I certify that the statements contained above are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

___________________________________ - (Signature of Judgment Debtor)

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________ - (Print Name and Residence Address of - Judgment Debtor)

(To verify that the amount shown on line (2) is a true statement of your earnings, you must either have your employer certify below that the amount shown on line (2) is a true statement of your earnings or you may submit copies of your pay stubs for the two pay periods immediately prior to your receiving this notice.)

I certify that the amount shown on line (2) is a true statement of the judgment debtor's earnings.

___________________________________ - (Print Name of Employer)

___________________________________ - (Signature of Employer or Agent)

I certify that I have attached copies of my pay stubs for the two pay periods immediately prior to my receiving this notice.

___________________________________ - (Signature of Judgment Debtor)"

(B) If a judgment debtor properly completes a payment to avoid garnishment and returns it with the required funds to the judgment creditor or the judgment creditor's attorney, the judgment creditor or the judgment creditor's attorney who issued the notice of court proceeding to collect debt may not issue another notice of court proceeding to collect debt to the judgment debtor until the expiration date of the judgment debtor's present pay period that is set forth by the judgment debtor and the judgment debtor's employer in the answer to (3)(B) in the payment to avoid garnishment.

(C) If an order of garnishment of personal earnings issued pursuant to this chapter has not been paid in full when it ceases to remain in effect because of the operation of division (C)(1) of section 2716.041 of the Revised Code, the garnishee's duties under the order of garnishment are complete with the filing of the final report and answer of the garnishee. The judgment creditor must institute new garnishment proceedings if the judgment creditor wants an additional garnishment.

Section 2716.03 | Commencing proceeding for garnishment of personal earnings.

• Effective: September 30, 2008
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 281 - 127th General Assembly

(A) Subject to the limitation on the commencement of proceedings contained in division (B) of section 124.10 of the Revised Code, a proceeding in garnishment of personal earnings may be commenced after a judgment has been obtained by a judgment creditor by the filing of an affidavit in writing made by the judgment creditor or the judgment creditor's attorney setting forth all of the following:

(1) The name of the judgment debtor whose personal earnings the judgment creditor seeks to garnish;

(2) The name and address of the garnishee who may be an employer of the judgment debtor and who may have personal earnings of the judgment debtor;

(3) That the demand in writing, as required by section 2716.02 of the Revised Code, has been made;

(4) That the payment demanded in the notice required by section 2716.02 of the Revised Code has not been made, and a sufficient portion of the payment demanded has not been made to prevent the garnishment of personal earnings as described in section 2716.02 of the Revised Code;

(5) That the affiant has no knowledge of any application by the judgment debtor for the appointment of a trustee so as to preclude the garnishment of the judgment debtor's personal earnings;

(6) That the affiant has no knowledge that the debt to which the affidavit pertains is the subject of a debt scheduling agreement of a nature that precludes the garnishment of the personal earnings of the judgment debtor under division (B) of this section.

(B) No proceeding in garnishment of personal earnings shall be brought against a judgment debtor for the collection of a debt that is the subject of an agreement for debt scheduling between the judgment debtor and a budget and debt counseling service, unless any payment to be made by the judgment debtor, or by a budget and debt counseling service to the judgment creditor under the agreement for debt scheduling between the judgment debtor and the budget and debt counseling service, is due and unpaid for more than forty-five days after the date on which the payment became due, or unless the judgment creditor previously was notified by the service that the debt scheduling agreement between the judgment debtor and the service was terminated.

(C) Upon a court's issuance of an order of garnishment of personal earnings following a judgment creditor's filing of an affidavit under this section and compliance with section 2716.04 of the Revised Code, the garnishee and the judgment debtor shall be notified of the proceeding in garnishment of personal earnings in accordance with sections 2716.05 and 2716.06 of the Revised Code.

(D) As used in this chapter:

(1) A "budget and debt counseling service" or "service" means a corporation organized under Chapter 1702. of the Revised Code for the purpose of counseling consumers with respect to their financial obligations and assisting them in dealing with their creditors.

(2) "Debt scheduling" means counseling and assistance provided to a consumer by a budget and debt counseling service under all of the following circumstances:

(a) The counseling and assistance is manifested in an agreement between the consumer and the service under which the consumer regularly pays that portion of the consumer's income to the service that has been determined not to be required for the maintenance of health or the essentials of life.

(b) The payments are made to the service until the debts of the consumer that are the subject of the agreement are fully retired.

(c) The service has sent written notice, by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by regular mail evidenced by a properly completed and stamped certificate of mailing by regular mail, to the creditors of the consumer that are disclosed by the consumer to the service. The notice shall contain all of the following:

(i) A statement of the consumer's intent to participate in debt scheduling;

(ii) A summary of the consumer's income, proposed itemized budget, schedule of creditors, and proposed debt retirement plan;

(iii) A statement of the particular creditor's duty to respond, in writing, to the service regarding the consumer's participation in debt scheduling within fifteen days after receiving the notice.

(d) The debts of the consumer that are the subject of the agreement for debt scheduling are determined as follows:

(i) Any debt owed to a creditor that was notified of the consumer's intent to participate is a subject of the agreement if the creditor responds to the service and enters into an agreement with the service, pursuant to which the creditor agrees not to attempt to collect the debts of the consumer as long as the consumer regularly pays to the service the amount previously agreed upon by the service and the consumer, and no payment to be made by the judgment debtor to the service or by the service to the creditor is due and unpaid for more than forty-five days after the date on which the payment became due, as long as the debt scheduling agreement between the consumer and the service has not been terminated, and as long as the service regularly pays to the creditor a mutually acceptable amount that is either the amount agreed upon by the service and the creditor on the date they entered into their original agreement or an amount agreed upon by both the service and the creditor on a date after the date of the original agreement.

(ii) Any debt owed to a creditor that was notified of the consumer's intent to participate is a subject of the agreement if the creditor does not respond to the service and state the creditor's objection, in writing, to the consumer's participation in debt scheduling within fifteen days after receiving notice of the consumer's intention to do so; however, no debt that is subject to a lien or security interest of any type, other than a judgment lien or execution lien, shall be a subject of the agreement unless the creditor specifically assents, in writing, to the debt being a subject of the agreement. The creditor shall be considered to have entered into an agreement of the type described in division (D)(2)(d)(i) of this section, and the amount to be regularly paid by the service to the creditor shall be an amount determined to be reasonable by the service or an amount agreed upon by both the service and the creditor on a date after the expiration of the fifteen-day period.

(iii) Any debt owed to a creditor that was not notified of the consumer's intent to participate, or a debt owed to a creditor that was notified of the consumer's intent to participate and that responded to the service and stated its objection, in writing, to the consumer's participation in debt scheduling within fifteen days after receiving notice of the consumer's intention to do so, is not a subject of the agreement.

(e) The service agrees that, if the consumer fails to make a payment under the agreement within forty-five days of its due date or if the agreement is terminated, the service will notify each creditor that is owed a debt that is subject to the agreement of the failure or termination by regular mail within two business days of the failure or termination, and the service provides that notice in accordance with the agreement.

Section 2716.031 | Filing affidavit of current balance due on garnishment order.

• Effective: August 29, 2000
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 294 - 123rd General Assembly

(A) The judgment creditor or judgment creditor's attorney shall file with the court, the garnishee, and the judgment debtor an affidavit of current balance due on garnishment order that contains the current balance due on the order. The judgment creditor or attorney shall file the affidavit on an annual basis.

(B) At any time after the filing of the original affidavit of garnishment, the judgment creditor or the judgment creditor's attorney may file with the court, the garnishee, and the judgment debtor an affidavit of current balance due on garnishment order that contains the current balance due on the order.

(C) An affidavit of current balance due on garnishment order shall contain the name of the court issuing the order, the case number, the caption of the case, the original amount of the judgment that is the basis of the order, the accrued interest to date, the court costs assessed to date, all moneys paid to the judgment creditor and the judgment creditor's attorney on the judgment to date, the current balance due, the name and address of the judgment creditor and the judgment creditor's attorney, and the date of the affidavit. The judgment creditor or judgment creditor's attorney shall serve the affidavit upon the judgment debtor by personally delivering it to the judgment debtor by personal service, by sending it to the judgment debtor by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by sending it to the judgment debtor by regular mail evidenced by a properly completed and stamped certificate of mailing by regular mail, addressed to the judgment debtor's last known place of residence. A certificate of service upon the judgment debtor shall be attached to each affidavit of current balance due on garnishment order.

(D) Court costs shall not be assessed for filing the affidavit of current balance due on garnishment order with the court.

(E)(1) When a judgment creditor or a judgment creditor's attorney issues an affidavit of current balance due on garnishment order in accordance with division (A) of this section, the judgment creditor or the judgment creditor's attorney shall comply with division (E) of this section and serve the notice and request for hearing upon the judgment debtor in accordance with division (E) of this section.

(2)(a) The notice to the judgment debtor that the judgment creditor or the judgment creditor's attorney is required to serve on and deliver to the judgment debtor shall be in substantially the following form:

"(Name and Address of the Court)

(Case Caption) Case No. _________________

NOTICE TO THE JUDGMENT DEBTOR

You are hereby notified that the judgment creditor in this proceeding has issued an affidavit of current balance due on garnishment order in the above case. The document entitled "AFFIDAVIT OF CURRENT BALANCE DUE ON GARNISHMENT ORDER" that is enclosed with this notice shows the original amount of the judgment that was the basis of the garnishment order, the accrued interest to date, the court costs assessed to date, all moneys paid to the judgment creditor and the judgment creditor's attorney on the judgment to date, and the current balance due on the judgment.

If you dispute the judgment creditor's determination of these amounts or if you believe that this affidavit is improper for any other reason, you may request a hearing before this court by disputing the affidavit in the request for hearing form, appearing below, or in a substantially similar form, and delivering the request for hearing to this court at the above address, at the office of the clerk of this court, no later than the end of the fifth business day after you receive this notice. You may state your reasons for disputing the judgment creditor's determination of the amounts shown in the "AFFIDAVIT OF CURRENT BALANCE DUE ON GARNISHMENT ORDER" in the space provided on the form; however, you are not required to do so. If you do state your reasons for disputing the judgment creditor's determination, you are not prohibited from stating any other reason at the hearing. If you do not state your reasons, it will not be held against you by the court, and you can state your reasons at the hearing. NO OBJECTIONS TO THE JUDGMENT ITSELF WILL BE HEARD OR CONSIDERED AT THE HEARING. The hearing will be limited to a consideration of the amount currently due on the judgment you owe to the judgment creditor.

If you request a hearing by delivering your request for hearing not later than the end of the fifth business day after you receive this notice, the court will conduct the hearing no later than twelve days after your request is received by the court, and the court will send you notice of the date, time, and place. You may indicate in the form that you believe that the need for the hearing is an emergency and that it should be given priority by the court. If you do so, the court will schedule the hearing as soon as practicable after your request is received and will send you notice of the date, time, and place. If you do not request a hearing by delivering your request for hearing not later than the end of the fifth business day after you receive this notice, some of your personal earnings will continue to be paid to the judgment creditor until the judgment is satisfied.

If you have any questions concerning this matter, you may contact the office of the clerk of this court. If you want legal representation, you should contact your lawyer immediately. If you need the name of a lawyer, you should contact the local bar association.

__________________________________

Judgment Creditor or Judgment

Creditor's Attorney

_________________________________

Date"

(b) The request for hearing form that the judgment creditor or the judgment creditor's attorney is required to serve on and deliver to the judgment debtor shall have attached to it a postage-paid, self-addressed envelope or shall be on a postage-paid, self-addressed postcard, and shall be in substantially the following form:

"(Name and Address of Court)

Case Number __________ Date ___________

REQUEST FOR HEARING

I dispute the judgment creditor's determination of current balance due on garnishment order in the above case and request that a hearing in this matter be held not later than twelve days after delivery of this request to the court.

I _________________________ believe that the need for

(Insert "do" or "do not")

the hearing is an emergency.

I dispute the judgment creditor's determination for the following reasons:

(Optional)

I UNDERSTAND THAT NO OBJECTIONS TO THE JUDGMENT ITSELF WILL BE CONSIDERED AT THE HEARING.

____________________________________

(Name of Judgment Debtor)

____________________________________

(Signature)

____________________________________

Date

WARNING: IF YOU DO NOT DELIVER THIS REQUEST FOR HEARING OR A REQUEST IN A SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR FORM TO THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF THIS COURT WITHIN FIVE (5) BUSINESS DAYS OF YOUR RECEIPT OF IT, YOU WAIVE YOUR RIGHT TO A HEARING, AND SOME OF YOUR PERSONAL EARNINGS WILL CONTINUE TO BE PAID TO (JUDGMENT CREDITOR'S NAME) IN SATISFACTION OF YOUR DEBT TO THE JUDGMENT CREDITOR."

(F) The judgment debtor may receive a hearing in accordance with this division by delivering a written request for a hearing to the clerk of the court within five business days after receipt of the notice provided pursuant to division (E) of this section. The request may set forth the judgment debtor's reasons for disputing the judgment creditor's determination of the current balance due on garnishment order; however, neither the judgment debtor's inclusion of nor the judgment debtor's failure to include those reasons upon the request constitutes a waiver of any defense of the judgment debtor or affects the judgment debtor's right to produce evidence at the hearing. If the request is made by the judgment debtor within the prescribed time, the court shall schedule a hearing no later than twelve days after the request is made, unless the judgment debtor indicated that the judgment debtor believed the need for the hearing was an emergency, in which case the court shall schedule the hearing as soon as practicable after the request is made. The court shall send notice of the date, time, and place of the hearing to the parties in accordance with division (H) of this section. The hearing shall be limited to a consideration of the amount of the current balance due on the garnishment order, if any.

(G) If the judgment debtor does not request a hearing within the prescribed time pursuant to division (F) of this section, the garnishee shall continue to pay some of the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings into court. If a hearing is conducted, the court shall determine at the hearing the amount owed by the judgment debtor to the judgment creditor and issue an order, accordingly, to the garnishee to pay that amount, calculated each pay period at the statutory percentage, of the personal disposable earnings into court. If the court determines that the judgment debtor has overpaid on the judgment, the court shall issue an order to the judgment creditor to pay that amount to the judgment debtor and issue an order terminating the garnishment. If the court determines that the judgment is satisfied, then the court shall issue an order terminating the garnishment.

(H) If the judgment debtor requests a hearing within the prescribed time pursuant to division (F) of this section, the clerk shall send a notice of the date, time, and place of the hearing by regular mail to the judgment creditor or the judgment creditor's attorney and the judgment debtor.

Section 2716.04 | Proof of service of written demand.

• Effective: August 29, 2000
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 294 - 123rd General Assembly

The affidavit required by section 2716.03 of the Revised Code in a proceeding for garnishment of personal earnings shall be accompanied by the return receipt requested for the written demand made pursuant to section 2716.02 of the Revised Code, the unclaimed letter, or a photographic or other direct image copy of the receipt or letter if the demand was sent by certified mail, return receipt requested; by proof of service by the court of the demand; or by a properly completed and stamped certificate of mailing by regular mail, a photographic or other direct image copy of the demand, and a sworn statement that it was sent by regular mail. The clerk shall serve a copy of the affidavit on the garnishee.

Section 2716.041 | Order of garnishment of personal earnings to be continuous.

• Effective: August 29, 2000
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 294 - 123rd General Assembly

(A) When a municipal court, county court, or court of common pleas issues an order of garnishment of personal earnings following a judgment creditor's filing of an affidavit in accordance with section 2716.03 of the Revised Code and the judgment creditor's compliance with section 2716.04 of the Revised Code, the order shall operate in the manner described in this section, be served upon the garnishee in accordance with section 2716.05 of the Revised Code, be answered by the garnishee in accordance with division (E) of this section and sections 2716.05 and 2716.21 of the Revised Code, and be served upon the judgment debtor in accordance with section 2716.06 of the Revised Code.

(B) Except as otherwise provided in this section, an order of garnishment of personal earnings shall be a continuous order that requires the garnishee to withhold a specified amount calculated each pay period at the statutory percentage from the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings during each pay period of the judgment debtor commencing with the first full pay period beginning after the garnishee receives the order until the judgment in favor of the judgment creditor and the associated court costs, judgment interest, and, if applicable, prejudgment interest awarded to the judgment creditor have been paid in full. For this purpose, the order of garnishment of personal earnings shall specify the total probable amount due on the judgment; shall state that that total probable amount includes the unpaid portion of the judgment in favor of the judgment creditor and specify that unpaid portion; shall state that that total probable amount includes judgment interest and, if applicable, prejudgment interest at the rate prescribed in division (A) of section 1343.03 of the Revised Code or a different rate provided in a written contract and specify the applicable interest rate; and shall state that that total probable amount includes the court costs awarded to the judgment creditor and specify the amount of those court costs.

(C)(1) A continuous order of garnishment of personal earnings described in division (B) of this section remains in effect until whichever of the following first occurs:

(a) The total probable amount due on the judgment described in division (B) of this section is paid in full to the judgment creditor as a result of the garnishee's withholding of the specified amount from the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings during each pay period of the judgment debtor commencing with the first full pay period beginning after the garnishee receives the order.

(b) The judgment creditor files with the court that issued the order, and serves upon the garnishee and judgment debtor in the same manner as a summons is served, either a written notice that the total probable amount due on the judgment described in division (B) of this section has been paid in full to the judgment creditor in the manner described in division (C)(1)(a) of this section or otherwise has been satisfied or a written request to terminate the order of garnishment and release the garnishee from the mandate of the order of garnishment.

(c) A municipal or county court appoints a trustee for the judgment debtor pursuant to section 2329.70 of the Revised Code and issues to the garnishee an order that stays the continuous order of garnishment of personal earnings.

(d) A bankruptcy court of the United States issues to the garnishee an order that stays the continuous order of garnishment of personal earnings.

(e) A municipal or county court or a court of common pleas issues to the garnishee another order of garnishment of personal earnings that relates to the same judgment debtor and a different judgment creditor, and the law of this state or of the United States provides that the other order of garnishment of personal earnings has a higher priority than the pending continuous order of garnishment of personal earnings. A higher priority order of that nature may include, but is not limited to, a support order and an internal revenue service levy.

(f) A municipal or county court or a court of common pleas issues to the garnishee another order of garnishment of personal earnings that relates to the same judgment debtor and a different judgment creditor and that is not described in division (C)(1)(e) of this section.

(2) If the circumstances described in division (C)(1)(e) or (f) of this section apply to a continuous order of garnishment of personal earnings, division (D) of this section also applies to the garnishee and that order.

(3) As long as a continuous order of garnishment of personal earnings with respect to a particular judgment debtor and a particular judgment creditor remains in effect or, if the circumstances described in division (C)(1)(e) or (f) of this section apply to an order of that nature, as long as division (D) of this section applies to the garnishee and an order of that nature, the particular judgment creditor may not file in any municipal or county court or any court of common pleas another affidavit as described in section 2716.03 of the Revised Code that pertains to the particular judgment debtor and the same judgment that underlies the order.

(4)(a) Subject to divisions (C)(1) and (D) of this section and section 2716.05 of the Revised Code, a garnishee to whom a municipal or county court or court of common pleas issues a continuous order of garnishment of personal earnings shall pay to the court within thirty days after each pay period of the judgment debtor ends the amount, calculated each pay period at the statutory percentage, that the order specifies to be withheld from the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings during each pay period of the judgment debtor commencing with the first full pay period beginning after the garnishee receives the order. The payment to the court of that amount calculated each pay period at the statutory percentage shall be accompanied by the garnishee's interim report and answer that shall be substantially in the form set forth in section 2716.07 of the Revised Code and shall specifically state all of the following:

(i) The date that the garnishee received the continuous order of garnishment of personal earnings;

(ii) The total probable amount due on the judgment, as described in division (B) of this section;

(iii) The amount of the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings that has been withheld for the particular pay period and that is being submitted with the interim report and answer.

(b) A garnishee shall prepare each interim report and answer in triplicate, shall submit one complete and signed copy of that document to the court in accordance with division (C)(4)(a) of this section, shall retain one complete and signed copy of that document for the garnishee's records, and shall deliver one complete and signed copy of that document to the judgment debtor.

(c) A garnishee to whom a municipal or county court or court of common pleas issues a continuous order of garnishment of personal earnings may electronically perform both of the following:

(i) Pay to the court the amount calculated each pay period at the statutory percentage of the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings that the order specifies to be withheld from the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings by electronic transfer of funds if the court permits payment to be made electronically;

(ii) File the garnishee's interim report and answer or the garnishee's final report and answer by electronic image transmission if the clerk of the court permits the filing of documents electronically.

(d) A garnishee to whom a municipal or county court or court of common pleas issues a continuous order of garnishment of personal earnings shall file with the court the garnishee's interim report and answer for each pay period of the judgment debtor for which an amount from the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings during that pay period was withheld for that order. The garnishee is not required to file an interim report and answer for any pay period for which no amount from the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings during that pay period was withheld for that order.

(e) A garnishee to whom a municipal or county court or court of common pleas issues a continuous order of garnishment of personal earnings may deduct a processing fee of up to three dollars from the amount withheld from the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings for each pay period of the judgment debtor that an amount from the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings was withheld for that order. A garnishee shall not deduct the processing fee for any pay period in which no amount from the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings during that pay period was withheld for that order and no garnishee's interim report and answer is filed. The garnishee's processing fee shall not be charged as court costs.

(5)(a) Subject to division (D) of this section, if a continuous order of garnishment of personal earnings ceases to remain in effect because of the operation of division (C)(1) of this section, the garnishee shall file with the municipal or county court or the court of common pleas that issued the order the garnishee's final report and answer. The final report and answer shall be substantially in the form set forth in section 2716.08 of the Revised Code and shall specifically state all of the following:

(i) The date that the garnishee received the continuous order of garnishment of personal earnings;

(ii) The total probable amount due on the judgment, as described in division (B) of this section;

(iii) The total amount of the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings that the garnishee has withheld and paid to the court while the order remained in effect;

(iv) The reason listed in division (C)(1) of this section that precludes the continuation of the withholding of the specified amount of the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings in accordance with the order. This reason shall be stated only if the total probable amount due on the judgment, as described in division (B) of this section, is not the total amount of the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings that the garnishee withheld and paid to the court while the order remained in effect and if the reason that the order has ceased to remain in effect is described in division (C)(1)(c), (d), (e), or (f) of this section.

(b) A garnishee shall prepare each final report and answer in triplicate, shall submit one complete and signed copy of that document to the court in accordance with division (C)(5)(a) of this section, shall retain one complete and signed copy of that document for the garnishee's records, and shall deliver one complete and signed copy of that document to the judgment debtor.

(D)(1) Except as provided in division (D)(2) of this section, if a garnishee receives an order of garnishment of personal earnings with respect to a particular judgment debtor and if, at the time of the receipt of that order, the garnishee is the subject of a previously received continuous order of garnishment of personal earnings with respect to the same judgment debtor, the previous order shall cease to remain in effect as described in division (C)(1)(f) of this section. However, for the time period up to and including the full pay period within which the one hundred eighty-second day from the date that the garnishee began processing the previous order falls, the garnishee shall withhold the specified amount from the judgment debtor's personal earnings in accordance with the previous order. During that time period, the previous order shall be deemed a higher priority order. Upon the expiration of that final full pay period, the garnishee shall comply with division (C)(5) of this section.

(2) If a garnishee receives an order of garnishment of personal earnings with respect to a particular judgment debtor, if, at the time of the receipt of that order, the garnishee is the subject of a previously received continuous order of garnishment of personal earnings with respect to the same judgment debtor, and if the law of this state or of the United States provides that the subsequent order has a higher priority than the previous order, the previous order shall cease to remain in effect as described in division (C)(1)(e) of this section. However, for the time period up to and including the full pay period within which the one hundred eighty-second day from the date the garnishee began processing the previous order falls, the garnishee shall comply with division (D)(3)(c)(ii) of this section. Upon the expiration of that final full pay period, the garnishee shall comply with division (C)(5) of this section.

(3)(a) Except as provided in division (D)(2) and (3)(b) and (c) of this section, if a garnishee receives an order of garnishment of personal earnings with respect to a particular judgment debtor and if, at the time of the receipt of that order, the garnishee is the subject of a previously received continuous order of garnishment of personal earnings with respect to the same judgment debtor, the garnishee shall do both of the following:

(i) The garnishee shall process the subsequent order in the order in which the garnishee receives it, commencing with the first full pay period beginning after the subsequent order reaches highest priority, and only after all previously received orders of garnishment of personal earnings with respect to the same judgment debtor have been processed for a time period up to and including the full pay period within which the one-hundred-eighty-second day from the first processing date falls or have ceased to remain in effect for a reason listed in division (C)(1) of this section.

(ii) When, pursuant to the procedure required by division (D)(3)(a)(i) of this section for the stacking of orders of garnishment of personal earnings with respect to the same judgment debtor, the subsequent order reaches highest priority, the garnishee, commencing with the first full pay period beginning after the subsequent order reaches highest priority, shall process the subsequent order until the subsequent order ceases to remain in effect for a reason listed in division (C)(1) of this section.

(b) If a garnishee receives an order of garnishment of personal earnings with respect to a particular judgment debtor, if, at the time of the receipt of that order, the garnishee is the subject of a previously received continuous order of garnishment of personal earnings with respect to the same judgment debtor, and if the previous order has a higher priority under division (D)(1) or (3)(a) of this section, the garnishee shall do both of the following:

(i) The garnishee shall withhold from the judgment debtor's personal earnings during each pay period the amount, calculated each pay period at the statutory percentage, of the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings during each pay period specified in the previous order for the requisite time period up to and including the full pay period within which the one-hundred-eighty-second-processing day falls or until the previous order ceases to remain in effect for a reason listed in division (C)(1) of this section.

(ii) If the maximum amount of the personal earnings of the judgment debtor that may be garnished during each pay period under the law of this state or of the United States is not exceeded after the application of division (D)(3)(b)(i) of this section, the garnishee shall withhold from the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings during each pay period the amount, calculated each pay period at the statutory percentage, specified in one or more of the subsequent orders, in their order of priority, commencing with the first full pay period beginning after the subsequent order reaches priority, until the maximum amount, calculated each pay period at the statutory percentage, of the personal disposable earnings of the judgment debtor that may be garnished during each pay period under the law of this state or of the United States is reached and as long as the requisite time period up to and including the full pay period within which the one-hundred-eighty-second processing day falls has not expired with respect to a subsequent order and the subsequent order has not ceased to remain in effect for a reason listed in division (C)(1) of this section.

(c) If a garnishee receives an order of garnishment of personal earnings with respect to a particular judgment debtor, if, at the time of the receipt of that order, the garnishee is the subject of a previously received continuous order of garnishment of personal earnings with respect to the same judgment debtor, and if the subsequent order has a higher priority under division (D)(2) of this section, the garnishee shall do both of the following:

(i) The garnishee shall withhold from the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings during each pay period the amount, calculated each pay period at the statutory percentage, specified in the subsequent order, commencing with the first full pay period beginning after the subsequent order reaches priority.

(ii) If the maximum amount of the personal earnings of the judgment debtor that may be garnished during each pay period under the law of this state or of the United States is not exceeded after the application of division (D)(3)(c)(i) of this section, the garnishee shall withhold from the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings during each pay period the amount, calculated each pay period at the statutory percentage, of the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings during each pay period specified in one or more of the previous orders, in their order of priority, until the maximum amount of the personal earnings of the judgment debtor that may be garnished during each pay period under the law of this state or of the United States is reached and as long as the requisite time period up to and including the full pay period within which the one-hundred-eighty-second processing day falls has not expired with respect to a previous order and the previous order has not ceased to remain in effect for a reason listed in division (C)(1) of this section.

(E) If a garnishee receives an order of garnishment of personal earnings with respect to a particular judgment debtor and if, at the time of the receipt of that order, the garnishee is the subject of one or more previously received continuous orders of garnishment of personal earnings with respect to the same judgment debtor, the garnishee shall include in its answer of employer filed pursuant to section 2716.05 of the Revised Code in relation to the subsequent order all of the following information:

(1) The name of the court that issued the subsequent order and each previous order and the case number associated with each of those orders;

(2) The date that the garnishee received the subsequent order and each previous order;

(3) With respect to the subsequent order and each previous order, the balance due to the relevant judgment creditor at the time of the filing of the answer of employer. The garnishee shall calculate the balance due in relation to a particular order by subtracting the total amount of the judgment debtor's personal earnings that the garnishee previously has withheld and paid to the court pursuant to that order from the total probable amount due on the judgment underlying that order, as described in division (B) of this section.

Section 2716.05 | Service of order and notices on garnishee.

• Effective: September 30, 2008
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 281 - 127th General Assembly

The garnishee shall be served, in the same manner as a summons is served, with three copies of the order of garnishment of personal earnings and of a written notice that the garnishee answer as provided in division (E) of section 2716.041 of the Revised Code, this section, and section 2716.21 of the Revised Code and with the garnishee's fee required by section 2716.04 of the Revised Code. The garnishee also shall be served, at that time, with two copies of the notice to the judgment debtor form and of the request for hearing form described in section 2716.06 of the Revised Code, one copy of the interim report and answer form described in section 2716.07 of the Revised Code, one copy of the employer guide to processing continuous orders of garnishment, and one copy of the final report and answer form described in section 2716.08 of the Revised Code.

A court of common pleas or municipal or county court that issues an order of garnishment of personal earnings has jurisdiction to serve process pursuant to this section upon a garnishee who does not reside within the territorial jurisdiction of the court. If the garnishee does not reside within the territorial jurisdiction of the court that issued the order, the process may be served upon the garnishee by the proper officer of the county in which the garnishee resides or may be served upon the garnishee by personal service by the court, by sending it to the garnishee by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by sending it to the garnishee by regular mail evidenced by a properly completed and stamped certificate of mailing by regular mail.

The order of garnishment of personal earnings shall bind the personal earnings of the judgment debtor due from the garnishee at the time of service in accordance with this section. The order of garnishment of personal earnings and notice to answer shall be in substantially the following form:

"ORDER AND NOTICE OF GARNISHMENT

AND ANSWER OF EMPLOYER

Docket No. ___________________

Case No. _____________________

In the _________________ Court

________________________, Ohio

The State of Ohio

County of _____________________, ss

_______________________, Judgment Creditor

vs.

_______________________, Judgment Debtor

SECTION A. COURT ORDER AND NOTICE OF GARNISHMENT

To: ___________________________________________, Garnishee

The judgment creditor in the above case has filed an affidavit, satisfactory to the undersigned, in this court stating that you may owe the judgment debtor money for personal earnings.

You are therefore ordered to complete the "ANSWER OF EMPLOYER (GARNISHEE)" in section B of this form. Return one completed and signed copy of this form to the clerk of this court within five (5) business days after you receive this order of garnishment. Deliver one completed and signed copy of this form and the accompanying documents entitled "NOTICE TO THE JUDGMENT DEBTOR" and "REQUEST FOR HEARING" to the judgment debtor. Keep the other completed and signed copy of this form for your files.

(The total probable amount now due on this judgment is $___________________ The total probable amount now due includes the unpaid portion of the judgment in favor of the judgment creditor, which is $________; interest on that judgment and, if applicable, prejudgment interest relative to that judgment at the rate of _____% per annum payable until that judgment is satisfied in full; and court costs in the amount of $__________)

This order of garnishment of personal earnings is a continuous order that generally requires you to withhold a specified amount, calculated each pay period at the statutory percentage, of the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings during each pay period, as determined in accordance with the "INTERIM REPORT AND ANSWER OF GARNISHEE," from the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings during each pay period of the judgment debtor commencing with the first full pay period beginning after you receive the order until the judgment in favor of the judgment creditor and the associated court costs, judgment interest, and, if applicable, prejudgment interest awarded to the judgment creditor as described above have been paid in full. You generally must pay that specified amount, calculated each pay period at the statutory percentage, to the clerk of this court within thirty (30) days after the end of each pay period of the judgment debtor and must include with that specified amount calculated each pay period at the statutory percentage an "INTERIM REPORT AND ANSWER OF GARNISHEE" substantially in the form set forth in section 2716.07 of the Ohio Revised Code. A copy of the "INTERIM REPORT AND ANSWER OF GARNISHEE" is attached to this order of garnishment of personal earnings, and you may photocopy it to use each time you pay the specified amount to the clerk of this court. You are permitted to deduct a processing fee of up to three dollars from the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings for any pay period of the judgment debtor that an amount was withheld for that order (the processing fee is not a part of the court costs). You are not required to file with the court the "INTERIM REPORT AND ANSWER OF GARNISHEE" for any pay period of the judgment debtor for which an amount from the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings during that pay period was not withheld for that order.

This order of garnishment of personal earnings generally will remain in effect until one of the following occurs:

(1) The total probable amount due on the judgment as described above is paid in full as a result of your withholding of the specified amount, calculated each pay period at the statutory percentage, from the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings during each pay period of the judgment debtor that commenced with the first full pay period beginning after you received the order.

(2) The judgment creditor or the judgment creditor's attorney files with this court a written notice that the total probable amount due on the judgment as described above has been satisfied or the judgment creditor or the judgment creditor's attorney files a written request to terminate this order of garnishment and release you from the mandate of this order of garnishment.

(3) A municipal or county court appoints a trustee for the judgment debtor and issues to you an order that stays this order of garnishment of personal earnings.

(4) A federal bankruptcy court issues to you an order that stays this order of garnishment of personal earnings.

(5) A municipal or county court or a court of common pleas issues to you another order of garnishment of personal earnings that relates to the judgment debtor and a different judgment creditor, and Ohio or federal law provides the other order with a higher priority than this order.

(6) A municipal or county court or a court of common pleas issues to you another order of garnishment of personal earnings that relates to the judgment debtor and a different judgment creditor and that does not have a higher priority than this order.

(7) The judgment creditor or the judgment creditor's attorney files with this court a written request to terminate and release the order of garnishment, and as a result, the order of garnishment will cease to remain in effect.

Under any of the circumstances listed above, you are required to file with this court a "FINAL REPORT AND ANSWER OF GARNISHEE" substantially in the form set forth in section 2716.08 of the Ohio Revised Code. A copy of the "FINAL REPORT AND ANSWER OF GARNISHEE" is attached to this order of garnishment of personal earnings. Under the circumstances listed in (5) and (6) above, you must cease processing this order of garnishment after the expiration of the full pay period within which the one hundred eighty-second (182) day after you began processing it falls.

Special stacking, priority of payment, and manner of payment rules apply when a garnishee receives multiple orders of garnishment with respect to the same judgment debtor. These rules are set forth in section 2716.041 of the Ohio Revised Code. An employer guide to processing continuous orders of garnishment is included with this order of garnishment. You should become familiar with these rules.

Witness my hand and the seal of this court this ________ day of ___________________, ______

______________________________

Judge

SECTION B. ANSWER OF EMPLOYER (GARNISHEE)

(An employer is one who is required to withhold payroll taxes out of payments of personal earnings made to the judgment debtor.)

(Answer all pertinent questions)

Now comes _______________________________, the employer (garnishee) herein, who says:

1.	This order of garnishment of personal earnings was received on ____________
		Yes	No
2.	The judgment debtor is in my/our employ. If answer is "No," give date of last employment.	_____	_____
		(2) ______________
		Yes	No
3.	(A) Is the debt to which this order of garnishment of personal earnings pertains the subject of an existing agreement for debt scheduling between the judgment debtor and a budget and debt counseling service and has the judgment debtor made every payment that was due under the agreement for debt scheduling no later than forty-five days after the date on which the payment was due?
		_____	_____
	If the answer to both parts of this question is "Yes," give all available details of the agreement, sign this form, and return it to the court.
		3(A)______________
J	__________________________________________________________________
K	__________________________________________________________________
		Yes	No
	(B) Were you, on the date that you received this order of garnishment of personal earnings, withholding moneys from the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings pursuant to another order of garnishment of personal earnings that Ohio or federal law provides with a higher priority than this order of garnishment of personal earnings (such as a support order or Internal Revenue Service levy)?
		_____	_____
	If the answer to this question is "Yes," give the name of the court that issued the higher priority order, the associated case number, the date upon which you received that order, and the balance due to the relevant judgment creditor under that order.
		3(B)______________________
Q	__________________________________________________________________
		Yes	No
	(C) Did you receive prior to the date that you received this order of garnishment of personal earnings one or more other orders of garnishment of personal earnings that are not described in question 3(B), and are you currently processing one or more of those orders for the statutorily required time period or holding one or more of those orders for processing for a statutorily required period in the sequence of their receipt by you?
		_____	_____
	If the answer to this question is "Yes," give the name of the court that issued each of those previously received orders, the associated case numbers, the date upon which you received each of those orders, and the balance due to the relevant judgment creditor under each of those orders. List first the previously received order(s) that you are currently processing, and list each of the other previously received orders in the sequence that you are required to process them.
		3(C)______________________
W	_____________________________________________________________
X	_____________________________________________________________
Y	_____________________________________________________________

I certify that the statements above are true.

______________________________

(Print Name of Employer)

______________________________

(Print Name and Title of

Person Who Completed Form on

behalf of the Employer)

Signed ________________________________________________________

(Signature of Employer or Employer's Agent)

Dated this ___________ day of ___________, _____"

Section A of the form described in this section shall be completed before service. Section B of the form shall be completed by the garnishee, and the garnishee shall file one completed and signed copy of the form with the clerk of the court as the garnishee's answer. The garnishee may keep one completed and signed copy of the form and shall deliver the other completed and signed copy of the form to the judgment debtor not later than the time that the garnishee otherwise would pay the judgment debtor the personal earnings that the garnishee instead is paying to the court. The garnishee also shall deliver at that time the two copies of the notice to the judgment debtor form and of the request for hearing form described in section 2716.06 of the Revised Code that were served on the garnishee.

No employer shall discharge an employee solely because of the successful garnishment of the employee's personal earnings by only one judgment creditor in any twelve-month period.

If several affidavits seeking orders of garnishment of personal earnings are filed against the same judgment debtor in accordance with section 2716.03 of the Revised Code, the court involved shall issue the requested orders in the same order in which the clerk received the associated affidavits.

The garnishee also shall be served with a copy of the employer guide to processing continuous orders of garnishment at the same time that the forms as provided in this section are served upon the garnishee.

Last updated January 29, 2024 at 10:18 AM

Section 2716.06 | Form for notice to judgment debtor.

• Effective: August 29, 2000
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 294 - 123rd General Assembly

(A) The notice to the judgment debtor that must be served on the garnishee and delivered to the judgment debtor shall be in substantially the following form:

"(Name and Address of the Court)

(Case Caption) Case No. _______

NOTICE TO THE JUDGMENT DEBTOR

You are hereby notified that this court has issued an order in the above case in favor of (name and address of judgment creditor), the judgment creditor in this proceeding, directing that some of your personal earnings be used in satisfaction of your debt to the judgment creditor instead of being paid to you. This order was issued on the basis of the judgment creditor's judgment against you that was obtained in (name of court) in (case number) on (date).

The law of Ohio provides that you are entitled to keep a certain amount of your personal earnings free from the claims of creditors. Additionally, wages under a certain amount may never be used to satisfy the claims of creditors. The documents entitled "ORDER AND NOTICE OF GARNISHMENT AND ANSWER OF EMPLOYER" that are enclosed with this notice show how the amount proposed to be taken out of your personal earnings was calculated by your employer.

If you dispute the judgment creditor's right to garnish your personal earnings and believe that you are entitled to possession of the personal earnings because they are exempt or if you feel that this order is improper for any other reason, you may request a hearing before this court by disputing the claim in the request for hearing form, appearing below, or in a substantially similar form, and delivering the request for hearing to this court at the above address, at the office of the clerk of this court, no later than the end of the fifth business day after you receive this notice. You may state your reasons for disputing the judgment creditor's right to garnish your personal earnings in the space provided on the form; however, you are not required to do so. If you do state your reasons for disputing the judgment creditor's right, you are not prohibited from stating any other reason at the hearing. If you do not state your reasons, it will not be held against you by the court, and you can state your reasons at the hearing. NO OBJECTIONS TO THE JUDGMENT ITSELF WILL BE HEARD OR CONSIDERED AT THE HEARING. The hearing will be limited to a consideration of the amount of your personal earnings, if any, that can be used in satisfaction of the judgment you owe to the judgment creditor.

If you request a hearing by delivering your request for hearing no later than the end of the fifth business day after you receive this notice, it will be conducted no later than twelve days after your request is received by the court, and the court will send you notice of the date, time, and place. You may indicate in the form that you believe that the need for the hearing is an emergency and that it should be given priority by the court. If you do so, the court will schedule the hearing as soon as practicable after your request is received and will send you notice of the date, time, and place. If you do not request a hearing by delivering your request for hearing no later than the end of the fifth business day after you receive this notice, some of your personal earnings will be paid to the judgment creditor.

If you have any questions concerning this matter, you may contact the office of the clerk of this court. If you want legal representation, you should contact your lawyer immediately. If you need the name of a lawyer, contact the local bar association.

_____________________________ Clerk of the Court

_____________________________ Date"

(B) The request for hearing form that must be served on the garnishee and delivered to the judgment debtor shall have attached to it a postage-paid, self-addressed envelope or shall be on a postage-paid, self-addressed postcard, and shall be in substantially the following form:

"(Name and Address of Court)

Case Number __________ Date __________

REQUEST FOR HEARING

I dispute the judgment creditor's right to garnish my personal earnings in the above case and request that a hearing in this matter be held no later than twelve days after delivery of this request to the court.

I ________________________ feel that the need for the

(insert "do" or "do not")

hearing is an emergency.

I dispute the judgment creditor's right to garnish my personal earnings for the following reasons:

____________________________________________________

(Optional)

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

I UNDERSTAND THAT NO OBJECTIONS TO THE JUDGMENT ITSELF WILL BE CONSIDERED AT THE HEARING.

_____________________________ (Name of Judgment Debtor)

_____________________________ (Signature)

_____________________________ (Date)

WARNING: IF YOU DO NOT DELIVER THIS REQUEST FOR HEARING OR A REQUEST IN A SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR FORM TO THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF THIS COURT WITHIN FIVE (5) BUSINESS DAYS OF YOUR RECEIPT OF IT, YOU WAIVE YOUR RIGHT TO A HEARING, AND SOME OF YOUR PERSONAL EARNINGS WILL BE PAID TO (JUDGMENT CREDITOR'S NAME) IN SATISFACTION OF YOUR DEBT TO THE JUDGMENT CREDITOR."

(C) The judgment debtor may receive a hearing in accordance with this division by delivering a written request for a hearing to the clerk of the court within five business days after receipt of the notice provided pursuant to division (A) of this section. The request may set forth the judgment debtor's reasons for disputing the judgment creditor's right to garnish the personal earnings; however, neither the judgment debtor's inclusion of nor the judgment debtor's failure to include those reasons upon the request constitutes a waiver of any defense of the judgment debtor or affects the judgment debtor's right to produce evidence at the hearing. If the request is made by the judgment debtor within the prescribed time, the court shall schedule a hearing no later than twelve days after the request is made, unless the judgment debtor indicated that the judgment debtor felt the need for the hearing was an emergency, in which case the court shall schedule the hearing as soon as practicable after the request is made. Notice of the date, time, and place of the hearing shall be sent to the parties in accordance with division (E) of this section. The hearing shall be limited to a consideration of the amount of the personal earnings of the judgment debtor, if any, that can be used in satisfaction of the debt owed by the judgment debtor to the judgment creditor.

(D) If the judgment debtor does not request a hearing within the prescribed time pursuant to division (C) of this section, the court shall issue an order to the garnishee to pay some of the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings into court, if they have not already been paid to the court. This order shall be based on the answer of the garnishee filed pursuant to section 2716.05 of the Revised Code. If a hearing is conducted, the court shall determine at the hearing the amount, calculated each pay period at the statutory percentage, of the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings for the present pay period, if any, that can be used in satisfaction of the debt owed by the judgment debtor to the judgment creditor, and issue an order, accordingly, to the garnishee to pay that amount, calculated each pay period at the statutory percentage, of the personal disposable earnings into court if it has not already been paid to the court.

(E) If the judgment debtor requests a hearing within the prescribed time pursuant to division (C) of this section, the clerk shall send a notice of the date, time, and place of the hearing by regular mail to the judgment creditor or the judgment creditor's attorney and the judgment debtor.

Section 2716.07 | Payments on continuous order of garnishment of personal earnings.

• Effective: August 29, 2000
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 294 - 123rd General Assembly

(A) Subject to divisions (C)(1) and (D) of section 2716.041 and section 2716.05 of the Revised Code, a garnishee to whom a municipal or county court or court of common pleas issues a continuous order of garnishment of personal earnings shall pay to the court within thirty days after the end of each pay period of the judgment debtor, commencing with the first full pay period beginning after the garnishee receives the ORDER AND NOTICE OF GARNISHMENT AND ANSWER OF EMPLOYER, the amount, calculated each pay period at the statutory percentage, that the order specifies to be withheld from the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings during each pay period of the judgment debtor following the garnishee's receipt of the order. The payment to the court of that amount shall be accompanied by the garnishee's interim report and answer that shall be substantially in the following form:

"INTERIM REPORT AND ANSWER OF GARNISHEE

Case No. _____________________

In The __________________ Court

_________________________, Ohio

__________, Judgment Creditor

vs.

__________, Judgment Debtor

The garnishee, _________________, in the above case states as follows:

1. The date that the garnishee received the order of garnishment of the judgment debtor's personal earnings was _________________________

2. The total probable amount due on the judgment, including court costs, judgment interest, and, if applicable, prejudgment interest, as stated in either section A of the order of garnishment of the judgment debtor's personal earnings or in the affidavit of current balance due on garnishment order if that affidavit has been received subsequent to the order of garnishment, is $_____________________

3. The pay period of the judgment debtor is (Enter weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, or monthly. Do not enter a pay period of more than one month) _______________________

4. The disposable earnings of the judgment debtor earned during the judgment debtor's present pay period is ("Disposable earnings" means earnings after deductions required by law. "Present pay period" means the pay period for which you are completing this INTERIM REPORT AND ANSWER OF GARNISHEE.) $________________________________

5. The amount equal to twenty-five per cent (25%) of the judgment debtor's disposable earnings set forth in section 4 of this form is $__________________________

6. ____________ times the current federal minimum hourly wage is (If the judgment debtor is paid weekly, enter thirty above, if paid biweekly, enter sixty, if paid semimonthly, enter sixty-five, if paid monthly, enter one hundred thirty, then calculate the amount.) $________________

7. The amount by which the amount in section 4 of this form exceeds the amount in section 6 of this form is _____________

8. The smallest of either the amount entered in section 5 of this form, the amount entered in section 7 of this form, or the amount entered in section 2 of this form, is $_______________

9. The amount entered in section 8 of this form, plus or minus (as appropriate) the garnishee's processing fee is $_________________ (if the amount entered in section 8 of this form equals the amount entered in section 2 of this form, then add up to three dollars ($3); otherwise subtract up to three dollars ($3))

10. Other deductions $_______________

11. The calculated amount that has been withheld from the judgment debtor's personal earnings during the judgment debtor's present pay period and that is submitted with this "INTERIM REPORT AND ANSWER OF GARNISHEE" is $_________________

I certify that the statements above are true.

__________________________________ - (Print Name of Employer)

__________________________________ - (Print Name and Title of Person Who - Completed Form)

Signed _________________________________________________________

(Signature of Person Who Completed Form)

dated this _______________ day of_______________, _______"

(B) One copy of the interim report and answer shall be served upon the garnishee in accordance with section 2716.05 of the Revised Code. The garnishee may photocopy that copy for use in accordance with division (A) of this section and division (C)(4) of section 2716.041 of the Revised Code.

(C) A garnishee to whom a municipal or county court or court of common pleas issues a continuous order of garnishment of personal earnings shall file with the court the garnishee's interim report and answer for each pay period of the judgment debtor for which an amount from the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings during that pay period was withheld for that order. The garnishee is not required to file an interim report and answer for any pay period for which no amount from the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings during that pay period was withheld for that order.

Section 2716.08 | Form for final report and answer of garnishee.

• Effective: August 29, 2000
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 294 - 123rd General Assembly

(A) Subject to division (D) of section 2716.041 of the Revised Code, if a continuous order of garnishment of personal earnings ceases to remain in effect because of the operation of division (C)(1) of that section, the garnishee shall file with the municipal or county court or court of common pleas that issued the order the garnishee's final report and answer that shall be substantially in the following form:

"FINAL REPORT AND ANSWER OF GARNISHEE

Case No. ______________________

In the __________________ Court

_________________________, Ohio

___________ Judgment Creditor

vs.

___________ Judgment Debtor

The garnishee, _______________, in the above case states as follows:

1. The date that the garnishee received the order of garnishment of the judgment debtor's personal earnings was _________________________

2. The total probable amount due on the judgment, including court costs, judgment interest, and, if applicable, prejudgment interest, as stated in section A of the order of garnishment of the judgment debtor's personal earnings, is $_____________________

3. The total amount that has been withheld from the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings and paid to the court while the order of garnishment of the judgment debtor's personal earnings remained in effect is $______________________

4. (When applicable) the total probable amount due on the judgment (as stated in 2 above) is not equal to the total amount that has been withheld (as stated in 3 above), and the reason for that difference is that the order of garnishment of the judgment debtor's personal earnings ceased to be in effect for the following statutorily prescribed reason(s) (check whichever apply):

(a) _____ A municipal or county court appointed a trustee for the judgment debtor and issued an order that stays the order of garnishment of the judgment debtor's personal earnings.

(b) _____ A federal bankruptcy court issued an order that stays the order of garnishment of the judgment debtor's personal earnings.

(c) _____ A municipal or county court or a court of common pleas issued another order of garnishment of personal earnings that relates to the judgment debtor and a different judgment creditor, and Ohio or federal law provides the other order a higher priority. (Set forth the name of the court that issued the higher priority order, the associated case number, the date that the higher priority order was received, and the balance due to the relevant judgment creditor under that order):

________________________________________________________________

(d) _____ A municipal or county court or a court of common pleas issued another order of garnishment of personal earnings that relates to the judgment debtor and a different judgment creditor and that is not described in 4(c) above. (Set forth the name of the court that issued the subsequently received order, the associated case number, the date that the subsequent order was received, and the balance due to the relevant judgment creditor under that order):

(e) _____ The judgment creditor or judgment creditor's attorney has issued a request that the order of garnishment be terminated and the garnishee released from the mandates of the order of garnishment.

(f) _____ Judgment debtor's employment terminated on:

________________________________________________________________

(g) _____ Other:

________________________________________________________________

I certify that the statements above are true.

___________________________________(Print Name of Employer)

___________________________________(Print Name and Title of Person Who Completed Form on behalf of theEmployer)

Signed _________________________________________________________ (Signature of Employer or Employer's Agent)

Dated this ___________ day of __________________, _______"

(B) One copy of the final report and answer shall be served upon the garnishee in accordance with section 2716.05 of the Revised Code. The garnishee shall use the final report and answer in accordance with division (A) of this section and division (C)(5) of section 2716.041 of the Revised Code.

Section 2716.09 | Modifying and interrupting the processing of an order of garnishment of personal earnings.

• Effective: August 29, 2000
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 294 - 123rd General Assembly

(A) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a municipal or county court or court of common pleas does not have jurisdiction to modify and interrupt the processing of an order of garnishment of personal earnings that that court issued in a proceeding in garnishment of personal earnings under this chapter unless all of the following apply:

(1) The judgment creditor and the judgment debtor associated with that order jointly apply to that court for the modification and interruption.

(2) That judgment creditor and judgment debtor jointly agree that the amount of the judgment debtor's personal disposable earnings that is required to be withheld during each pay period under that court's order should be modified to a mutually agreed upon and specified amount and that the garnishee should withhold that specified amount until the judgment in favor of the judgment creditor and the associated court costs, judgment interest, and, if applicable, prejudgment interest awarded to the judgment creditor have been paid in full or until that court's order otherwise ceases to remain in effect under division (C)(1) of section 2716.041 of the Revised Code.

(3) That court enters an order that approves of the modification described in division (A)(2) of this section and causes a copy of that order to be served upon the garnishee in the same manner as process is served.

(B) A judgment creditor or judgment creditor's attorney may request that the clerk of the court that issued an order of garnishment of personal earnings disburse the garnishment proceeds on a less frequent basis than is otherwise provided by this chapter. Upon receiving the request, the clerk may elect to disburse the garnishment proceeds on a time schedule other than that as provided by this chapter.

Section 2716.11 | Garnishment of property, other than personal earnings of judgment debtor.

• Effective: September 30, 2008
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 281 - 127th General Assembly

A proceeding for garnishment of property, other than personal earnings, may be commenced after a judgment has been obtained by a judgment creditor by the filing of an affidavit in writing made by the judgment creditor or the judgment creditor's attorney setting forth all of the following:

(A) The name of the judgment debtor whose property the judgment creditor seeks to garnish;

(B) A description of the property;

(C) The name and address of the garnishee who may have in the garnishee's hands or control money, property, or credits, other than personal earnings, of the judgment debtor.

Section 2716.12 | Garnishee's fee.

• Effective: March 13, 1986
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 442 - 116th General Assembly

The affidavit required by section 2716.11 of the Revised Code in a proceeding for garnishment of property, other than personal earnings, shall be accompanied by one dollar as the garnishee's fee for compliance with the order, no part of which shall be charged as court costs.

Section 2716.13 | Hearing on motion for garnishment of property, other than personal earnings of judgment debtor.

• Effective: September 30, 2008
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 281 - 127th General Assembly

(A) Upon the filing of a proceeding in garnishment of property, other than personal earnings, under section 2716.11 of the Revised Code, the court shall cause the matter to be set for hearing within twelve days after that filing.

(B) Upon the scheduling of a hearing relative to a proceeding in garnishment of property, other than personal earnings, under division (A) of this section, the clerk of the court immediately shall issue to the garnishee three copies of the order of garnishment of property, other than personal earnings, and of a written notice that the garnishee answer as provided in section 2716.21 of the Revised Code and the garnishee's fee required by section 2716.12 of the Revised Code. The copies of the order and of the notice shall be served upon the garnishee in the same manner as a summons is served and the clerk shall also mail a copy of the order and notice of garnishment to the garnishee by ordinary or regular mail service. The copies of the order and of the notice shall not be served later than seven days prior to the date on which the hearing is scheduled. The order shall bind the property in excess of four hundred dollars, other than personal earnings, of the judgment debtor in the possession of the garnishee at the time of service. Any garnishee that garnishes the property, other than personal earnings, of a judgment debtor in good faith reliance upon the order and notice of garnishment received by ordinary or regular mail service shall not be liable for damages in any civil action.

The order of garnishment of property, other than personal earnings, and notice to answer shall be in substantially the following form:

"ORDER AND NOTICE OF GARNISHMENT

OF PROPERTY OTHER THAN PERSONAL EARNINGS

AND ANSWER OF GARNISHEE

Docket No. ___________________ - Case No. _____________________ - In the _________________ Court - ________________________, Ohio

The State of Ohio

County of ____________, ss

___________________, Judgment Creditor

vs.

___________________, Judgment Debtor

SECTION A. COURT ORDER AND NOTICE OF GARNISHMENT

To: ____________________, Garnishee

The judgment creditor in the above case has filed an affidavit, satisfactory to the undersigned, in this Court stating that you may have money, property, or credits, other than personal earnings, in your hands or under your control that belong to the judgment debtor.

You are therefore ordered to complete the "ANSWER OF GARNISHEE" in section (B) of this form. Return one completed and signed copy of this form to the clerk of this court together with the amount determined in accordance with the "ANSWER OF GARNISHEE" by the following date on which a hearing is tentatively scheduled relative to this order of garnishment: ____________ Deliver one completed and signed copy of this form to the judgment debtor prior to that date. Keep the other completed and signed copy of this form for your files.

The total probable amount now due on this judgment is $__________ The total probable amount now due includes the unpaid portion of the judgment in favor of the judgment creditor, which is $__________; interest on that judgment and, if applicable, prejudgment interest relative to that judgment at the rate of _____% per annum payable until that judgment is satisfied in full; and court costs in the amount of $___________

You also are ordered to hold safely anything of value that belongs to the judgment debtor and that has to be paid to the court, as determined under the "ANSWER OF GARNISHEE" in section (B) of this form, but that is of such a nature that it cannot be so delivered, until further order of the court.

Witness my hand and the seal of this court this __________ day of __________, __________

______________________________ - Judge

SECTION B. ANSWER OF GARNISHEE

Now comes ____________________ the garnishee, who says:

1. That the garnishee has more than $400 in money, property, or credits, other than personal earnings, of the judgment debtor under the garnishee's control and in the garnishee's possession.

_______________ _______________ ___________________

yes no if yes, amount

over $400

2. That property is described as:

3. If the answer to line 1 is "yes" and the amount is less than the probable amount now due on the judgment, as indicated in section (A) of this form, sign and return this form and pay the amount of line 1 to the clerk of this court.

4. If the answer to line 1 is "yes" and the amount is greater than that probable amount now due on the judgment, as indicated in section (A) of this form, sign and return this form and pay that probable amount now due to the clerk of this court.

5. If the answer to line 1 is "yes" but the money, property, or credits are of such a nature that they cannot be delivered to the clerk of the court, indicate that by placing an "X" in this space: ______ Do not dispose of that money, property, or credits or give them to anyone else until further order of the court.

6. If the answer to line 1 is "no," sign and return this form to the clerk of this court.

I certify that the statements above are true.

____________________________ - (Print Name of Garnishee) - _____________________________ - (Print Name and Title of

Person Who Completed Form)

Signed________________________________________________________

(Signature of Person Completing Form)

Dated this __________ day of __________, _____"

Section A of the form described in this division shall be completed before service. Section B of the form shall be completed by the garnishee, and the garnishee shall file one completed and signed copy of the form with the clerk of the court as the garnishee's answer. The garnishee may keep one completed and signed copy of the form and shall deliver the other completed and signed copy of the form to the judgment debtor.

If several affidavits seeking orders of garnishment of property, other than personal earnings, are filed against the same judgment debtor in accordance with section 2716.11 of the Revised Code, the court involved shall issue the requested orders in the same order in which the clerk received the associated affidavits.

(C)(1) At the time of the filing of a proceeding in garnishment of property, other than personal earnings, under section 2716.11 of the Revised Code, the judgment creditor also shall file with the clerk of the court a praecipe instructing the clerk to issue to the judgment debtor a notice to the judgment debtor form and a request for hearing form. Upon receipt of the praecipe and the scheduling of a hearing relative to an action in garnishment of property, other than personal earnings, under division (A) of this section, the clerk of the court immediately shall serve upon the judgment debtor, in accordance with division (D) of this section, two copies of the notice to the judgment debtor form and of the request for hearing form. The copies of the notice to the judgment debtor form and of the request for hearing form shall not be served later than seven days prior to the date on which the hearing is scheduled.

(a) The notice to the judgment debtor that must be served upon the judgment debtor shall be in substantially the following form:

"(Name and Address of the Court)

(Case Caption) _________________________ Case No. _____________

NOTICE TO THE JUDGMENT DEBTOR

You are hereby notified that this court has issued an order in the above case in favor of (name and address of judgment creditor), the judgment creditor in this proceeding, directing that some of your money in excess of four hundred dollars, property, or credits, other than personal earnings, that now may be in the possession of (name and address of garnishee), the garnishee in this proceeding, be used to satisfy your debt to the judgment creditor. This order was issued on the basis of the judgment creditor's judgment against you that was obtained in (name of court) in (case number) on (date). Upon your receipt of this notice, you are prohibited from removing or attempting to remove the money, property, or credits until expressly permitted by the court. Any violation of this prohibition subjects you to punishment for contempt of court.

The law of Ohio and the United States provides that certain benefit payments cannot be taken from you to pay a debt. Typical among the benefits that cannot be attached or executed upon by a creditor are the following:

(1) Workers' compensation benefits;

(2) Unemployment compensation payments;

(3) Cash assistance payments under the Ohio works first program;

(4) Benefits and services under the prevention, retention, and contingency program;

(5) Disability financial assistance administered by the Ohio department of job and family services;

(6) Social security benefits;

(7) Supplemental security income (S.S.I.);

(8) Veteran's benefits;

(9) Black lung benefits;

(10) Certain pensions.

There may be other benefits not included in the above list that apply in your case.

If you dispute the judgment creditor's right to garnish your property and believe that the judgment creditor should not be given your money, property, or credits, other than personal earnings, now in the possession of the garnishee because they are exempt or if you feel that this order is improper for any other reason, you may request a hearing before this court by disputing the claim in the request for hearing form, appearing below, or in a substantially similar form, and delivering the request for hearing to this court at the above address, at the office of the clerk of this court no later than the end of the fifth business day after you receive this notice. You may state your reasons for disputing the judgment creditor's right to garnish your property in the space provided on the form; however, you are not required to do so. If you do state your reasons for disputing the judgment creditor's right, you are not prohibited from stating any other reason at the hearing. If you do not state your reasons, it will not be held against you by the court, and you can state your reasons at the hearing. NO OBJECTIONS TO THE JUDGMENT ITSELF WILL BE HEARD OR CONSIDERED AT THE HEARING. If you request a hearing, the hearing will be limited to a consideration of the amount of your money, property, or credits, other than personal earnings, in the possession or control of the garnishee, if any, that can be used to satisfy all or part of the judgment you owe to the judgment creditor.

If you request a hearing by delivering your request for hearing no later than the end of the fifth business day after you receive this notice, it will be conducted in __________ courtroom __________, (address of court), at _____ m. on __________, _________. You may request the court to conduct the hearing before this date by indicating your request in the space provided on the form; the court then will send you notice of any change in the date, time, or place of the hearing. If you do not request a hearing by delivering your request for a hearing no later than the end of the fifth business day after you receive this notice, some of your money, property, or credits, other than personal earnings, will be paid to the judgment creditor.

If you have any questions concerning this matter, you may contact the office of the clerk of this court. If you want legal representation, you should contact your lawyer immediately. If you need the name of a lawyer, contact the local bar association.

______________________________

Clerk of the Court

______________________________

Date"

(b) The request for hearing form that must be served upon the judgment debtor shall have attached to it a postage-paid, self-addressed envelope or shall be on a postage-paid self-addressed postcard, and shall be in substantially the following form:

"(Name and Address of Court)

Case Number _________________________ Date _________________

REQUEST FOR HEARING

I dispute the judgment creditor's right to garnish my money, property, or credits, other than personal earnings, in the above case and request that a hearing in this matter be held

________________________________________________________________ - (Insert "on" or "earlier than")

the date and time set forth in the document entitled "NOTICE TO THE JUDGMENT DEBTOR" that I received with this request form.

I dispute the judgment creditor's right to garnish my property for the following reasons:

________________________________________________________________

(Optional)

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

I UNDERSTAND THAT NO OBJECTIONS TO THE JUDGMENT ITSELF WILL BE HEARD OR CONSIDERED AT THE HEARING.

- _______________________

(Name of Judgment Debtor)

_______________________

(Signature)

_______________________

(Date)

WARNING: IF YOU DO NOT DELIVER THIS REQUEST FOR HEARING OR A REQUEST IN A SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR FORM TO THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF THIS COURT WITHIN FIVE (5) BUSINESS DAYS OF YOUR RECEIPT OF IT, YOU WAIVE YOUR RIGHT TO A HEARING AND SOME OF YOUR MONEY, PROPERTY, OR CREDITS, OTHER THAN PERSONAL EARNINGS, NOW IN THE POSSESSION OF (GARNISHEE'S NAME) WILL BE PAID TO (JUDGMENT CREDITOR'S NAME) TO SATISFY SOME OF YOUR DEBT TO (JUDGMENT CREDITOR'S NAME)."

(2) The judgment debtor may receive a hearing in accordance with this division by delivering a written request for hearing to the court within five business days after receipt of the notice provided pursuant to division (C)(1) of this section. The request may set forth the judgment debtor's reasons for disputing the judgment creditor's right to garnish the money, property, or credits, other than personal earnings; however, neither the judgment debtor's inclusion of nor failure to include those reasons upon the request constitutes a waiver of any defense of the judgment debtor or affects the judgment debtor's right to produce evidence at the hearing. If the request is made by the judgment debtor within the prescribed time, the hearing shall be limited to a consideration of the amount of money, property, or credits, other than personal earnings, of the judgment debtor in the hands of the garnishee, if any, that can be used to satisfy all or part of the debt owed by the judgment debtor to the judgment creditor. If a request for a hearing is not received by the court within the prescribed time, the hearing scheduled pursuant to division (A) of this section shall be canceled unless the court grants the judgment debtor a continuance in accordance with division (C)(3) of this section.

(3) If the judgment debtor does not request a hearing in the action within the prescribed time pursuant to division (C)(2) of this section, the court nevertheless may grant a continuance of the scheduled hearing if the judgment debtor, prior to the time at which the hearing was scheduled, as indicated on the notice to the judgment debtor required by division (C)(1) of this section, establishes a reasonable justification for failure to request the hearing within the prescribed time. If the court grants a continuance of the hearing, it shall cause the matter to be set for hearing as soon as practicable thereafter. The continued hearing shall be conducted in accordance with division (C)(2) of this section.

(4) The court may conduct the hearing on the matter prior to the time at which the hearing was scheduled, as indicated on the notice to the judgment debtor required by division (C)(1) of this section, upon the request of the judgment debtor. The parties shall be sent notice, by the clerk of the court, by regular mail, of any change in the date, time, or place of the hearing.

(5) If the scheduled hearing is canceled and no continuance is granted, the court shall issue an order to the garnishee to pay all or some of the money, property, or credits, other than personal earnings, of the judgment debtor in the possession of the garnishee at the time of service of the notice and order into court if they have not already been paid to the court. This order shall be based on the answer of the garnishee filed pursuant to this section. If the scheduled hearing is conducted or if it is continued and conducted, the court shall determine at the hearing the amount of the money, property, or credits, other than personal earnings, of the judgment debtor in the possession of the garnishee at the time of service of the notice and order, if any, that can be used to satisfy all or part of the debt owed by the judgment debtor to the judgment creditor, and issue an order, accordingly, to the garnishee to pay that amount into court if it has not already been paid to the court.

(D) The notice to the judgment debtor form and the request for hearing form described in division (C) of this section shall be sent by the clerk by ordinary or regular mail service unless the judgment creditor requests that service be made in accordance with the Rules of Civil Procedure, in which case the forms shall be served in accordance with the Rules of Civil Procedure. Any court of common pleas that issues an order of garnishment of property, other than personal earnings, under this section has jurisdiction to serve process pursuant to this section upon a garnishee who does not reside within the jurisdiction of the court. Any county court or municipal court that issues an order of garnishment of property, other than personal earnings, under this section has jurisdiction to serve process pursuant to this section upon a garnishee who does not reside within the jurisdiction of the court.

Section 2716.21 | Garnishee's answer.

• Effective: August 29, 2000
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 294 - 123rd General Assembly

(A) If the answer of a garnishee required by section 2716.05 or 2716.13 of the Revised Code is not made in writing as ordered by the court that issued the garnishment order, the answer shall be made before the clerk of the court of common pleas of the county in which the garnishee resides or, if the garnishee resides outside of the state, before the clerk of the county in which the garnishee was served or in which the action is pending. Upon receipt of an answer under this division, the clerk shall transmit it to the clerk of the court in which the action is pending, if different, in the same manner as depositions are required to be directed and transmitted. For the clerk's services, the clerk shall receive the fees allowed by law for taking depositions and to clerks for furnishing certificates with their seals of office attached.

(B) After the order of garnishment is served on a garnishee, as provided in section 2716.05 or 2716.13 of the Revised Code, the garnishee shall return the answer to the court that issued the garnishment order within five business days after receipt of the order if the order is served under section 2716.05 of the Revised Code or before the date set for the hearing as indicated on the order if the order is served under section 2716.13 of the Revised Code. The garnishee shall answer all questions addressed to the garnishee regarding the personal earnings of the judgment debtor or regarding the amount of money, property, or credits, other than personal earnings, of the judgment debtor that are in the garnishee's possession or under the garnishee's control at the time of service of the order, whichever is applicable. The garnishee shall truly disclose the amount owed by the garnishee to the judgment debtor whether due or not and, in the case of a corporation, any stock held in the corporation by or for the benefit of the judgment debtor. If a garnishee answers and it is discovered that, at the time of the service of the order upon the garnishee, the garnishee possessed any money, property, or credits of the judgment debtor or was indebted to the judgment debtor, the court may order the payment of the amount owed into court, or it may permit the garnishee to retain the money, property, or credits or the amount owed upon the garnishee's executing to the judgment creditor a bond with sufficient surety to the effect that the amount will be paid as the court directs.

(C) If, in a garnishee's answer, a garnishee admits an indebtedness to the judgment debtor and the court orders the payment of it in whole or in part to the judgment creditor, and if the garnishee fails to pay according to the order, execution may issue on the order.

(D) A garnishee shall pay the personal earnings owed to the judgment debtor or the money or value of the property or credits, other than personal earnings, of the judgment debtor in the garnishee's possession or under the garnishee's control at the time of service of the order of garnishment, or so much thereof as the court orders, into court. The garnishee shall be discharged from liability to the judgment debtor for money so paid and shall not be subjected to costs beyond those caused by the garnishee's resistance of the claims against the garnishee. A garnishee is liable to the judgment creditor for all money, property, and credits, other than personal earnings, of the judgment debtor in the garnishee's possession or under the garnishee's control or for all personal earnings due from the garnishee to the judgment debtor, whichever is applicable, at the time the garnishee is served with the order under section 2716.05 or 2716.13 of the Revised Code.

(E) If a garnishee fails to answer as required by this section, answers but fails to answer satisfactorily, or fails to comply with a proper order of a court in connection with a garnishment under this chapter, the court may proceed against the garnishee for contempt.

Upon the request of the judgment creditor, a special examination of a garnishee may be had by the judgment creditor if the garnishee fails to answer as required by this section, answers but fails to answer satisfactorily, or fails to comply with a proper order of a court in connection with the garnishment. That examination may be conducted in the county in which the garnishee resides.

(F)(1) If a garnishee fails to answer as required by this section, answers and the garnishee's answer is not satisfactory to the judgment creditor, or fails to comply with the order of the court to pay the money owed or deliver the property into court or to give the bond authorized under division (B) of this section, the judgment creditor may proceed against the garnishee by civil action. Thereupon, proceedings may be had as in other civil actions. Judgment may be rendered in favor of the judgment creditor for the amount of money owed the judgment debtor in the garnishee's possession at the time the garnishee was served with the order of garnishment under section 2716.05 or 2716.13 of the Revised Code and, if it appears on the trial that the garnishee's answer was incomplete, for the costs of the proceedings against the garnishee. An action authorized under this division shall be brought in the county in which the garnishee resides.

(2) A garnishee who acts, or attempts to act, in accordance with Chapter 2716. of the Revised Code is not liable for damages in any civil action for any action taken pursuant to that chapter in good faith or any omission made in good faith.