When an attachment is sued out against a nonresident of the state, the writ shall be returned to the clerk of the court as soon as levied upon the property of the defendant, and thereupon the clerk shall cause a notice of the attachment and levy on the defendant's property to be advertised once a week for three successive weeks in some newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the property is found, a copy of which must be sent by mail to the defendant if his residence is known or can be ascertained; and, when such publication is perfected, the case shall stand for trial at any time after the expiration of 30 days thereafter.
Ala. Code § 6-6-81 (1975)