Section 28-9-4-3 - Garnishment fee; credit against unpaid amount of judgment; deposit funds exempt from garnishment(a) This section applies to a depository financial institution that is required to place a hold on a deposit account under section 2(a) of this chapter.(b) Immediately prior to the placing of a hold on a deposit account under section 2(a) of this chapter, the depository financial institution is entitled to receive and deduct from the affected deposit account a garnishment fee equal to the lesser of: (1) twenty dollars ($20); or(2) the amount of funds then in the deposit account. However, if the court determines that the funds from which the garnishment fee is deducted are exempt from garnishment, the depository financial institution shall recredit the deposit account affected with the amount of the garnishment fee previously deducted.
(c) In answering interrogatories served or caused to be served by the adverse claimant regarding the amount of funds in a deposit account, the depository financial institution shall indicate the balance in the deposit account immediately prior to the deduction of the garnishment fee specified in subsection (b).(d) Upon receipt from the depository financial institution of answers to interrogatories indicating a balance in a deposit account in which the judgment defendant has an interest, the adverse claimant shall credit or cause to be credited against the unpaid amount of the judgment one-half (1/2) of the garnishment fee calculated in accordance with subsection (b). However, if the court determines that the funds from which the garnishment fee is deducted are exempt from garnishment, that credit against the unpaid amount of the judgment shall be reversed.(e) For the purposes of subsections (b) and (d), if the court determines that a portion of the funds in a deposit account is exempt from garnishment, the garnishment fee specified in subsection (b) shall be considered to have been deducted first from those funds in the deposit account that are not exempt from garnishment.(f) Subject only to the provisions of subsection (b) with respect to adjustment of a deposit account based upon an exemption, once the garnishment fee specified in that subsection is deducted, the deducted amount shall not be subject to any claim by the adverse claimant or a depositor.As added by P.L. 258-1989, SEC.2. Amended by P.L. 198-1991, SEC.2.