Title 44, Chapter 14, Section 550
( 44-14-550)
Liens on personal property, other than mortgages, when not otherwise
provided for, shall be foreclosed in accordance with the following
provisions: (1) There shall be a demand on the owner, agent, or lessee of the
property for payment and a refusal to pay; and such demand and
refusal shall be averred. If, however, no such demand can be made
on account of the absence from the county of his residence of the
party creating the lien on personal property, by reason of his
moving or absconding from the county of his residence, or other
acts which show an intention to be absent from the county so as to
defeat the demand, the party holding the lien shall not be obliged
to make a demand but may foreclose without such demand; provided,
however, that, if possession is retained or the lien recorded, the
owner-debtor may contest the validity of the amount claimed to be
due by making written demand upon the lienholder. If, upon receipt
of the demand, the lienholder fails to institute foreclosure
proceedings within ten days, where possession has been retained,
or within 30 days, where possession has been surrendered, the lien
is forfeited; (2) A person asserting the lien, either for himself or as a
guardian, administrator, executor, or trustee, may move to
foreclose the lien by making an affidavit to a court of competent
jurisdiction showing all the facts necessary to constitute a lien
and the amount claimed to be due. The plaintiff shall verify the
statement by oath or affirmation and shall affix his signature
thereto; (3) Upon the affidavit being filed, the clerk or a judge of the
court shall serve notice upon the owner, the recorded lienholders,
and the lessee of the property of a right to a hearing to
determine if reasonable cause exists to believe that a valid debt
exists. The hearing must be petitioned for within five days after
the receipt of the notice; and, if no petition for the hearing is
filed within the time allowed, the lien will conclusively be
deemed a valid one and foreclosure thereof allowed; (4) If a petition for a hearing is filed within the time allowed,
the court shall set the hearing within ten days of the filing of
the petition. If at the probable cause hearing the court
determines that reasonable cause exists to believe that a valid
debt exists, the person asserting the lien shall be given
possession of the property or the court shall obtain possession of
the property as ordered by the court. The defendant may retain
possession of the property by giving bond and security for the
amount determined to be due and for costs of the action; (5) Within five days of the probable cause hearing, the defendant
must petition the court for a full hearing on the validity of the
debt if a further determination of the validity of the debt is
desired. If no such petition is filed, the lien on the amount
determined reasonably due shall conclusively be deemed a valid one
and foreclosure thereof allowed. If such a petition is filed, the
court shall set a full hearing thereon within 30 days of the
filing of the petition. Upon the filing of the petition by the
defendant, neither the prosecuting lienholder nor the court may
sell the property, although possession of the property may be
retained; (6) If after a full hearing the court finds that a valid debt
exists, the court shall authorize the foreclosure upon and the
sale of the property subject to the lien to satisfy the debt if
the debt is not otherwise immediately paid; (7) If the court finds the actions of the person asserting the
lien in retaining or seeking possession of the property were not
taken in good faith, the court in its discretion may award damages
to the owner, agent, or lessee due to the deprivation of the use
of the property; and (8) Any proceeding to foreclose a lien on personal property must
be instituted within one year from the time the lien is recorded
or is asserted by retention. |