(a) The plaintiff, in his or her election, may require a garnishee to answer on oath, or affirmation, or to plead. The plaintiff shall make the election at or before the appearance, or the answer is taken, and the justice may compel the answer, or plea, by attachment of contempt.

(b) If the garnishee admits in his or her answer, or plea, that at the service of the attachment, or at any time since, there was in his or her hands, or possession, any attachable goods, or chattels, rights, credits, money, or effects of the defendant, judgment shall be given against the garnishee accordingly. The garnishee may, at the time the attachment is served, or returned, or on such other day as is fixed by the justice, deliver specific goods, so in his or her hands, to the constable, who shall make an inventory, and cause them to be appraised by 2 judicious persons under oath, or affirmation, and shall annex such inventory, to the attachment.

(c) A garnishee swearing, or affirming, falsely, is guilty of perjury and may be punished accordingly.

(d) If a garnishee pleads, he or she may deny that there is anything of the defendant’s in his or her hands, or possession, or he or she may admit any thing or sum, and deny any thing more. The plea shall be entered and the trial shall proceed to judgment, execution, new trial, or appeal, in all respects as an original action commenced by summons. In order to determine the plaintiff’s right to appeal, he or she may have entered on the record the amount of his or her demand against the garnishee. But if, on trial, there is not found against the garnishee more than is admitted by the garnishee’s plea, the garnishee shall recover his or her costs against the plaintiff.

(e) There shall be a stay of execution on judgments against garnishees, as in other cases. If by the answer, plea, or trial, it appears that the garnishee owes a sum payable at a future day, there shall be a stay of execution until that time without security.

(f) In no case shall judgment be rendered against a garnishee, until judgment is given against the original debtor, nor for a greater sum; and a garnishee shall, upon request, be admitted to defend the suit against such debtor.

(g) If more is due from a garnishee than is embraced in the judgment against him or her, the garnishee may be required to answer in other cases. If there are several garnishees, the plaintiff may elect against which he or she will take judgment, and the others shall be discharged, but may be required to answer in other cases.

Code 1852, §§ 2166-2171; Code 1915, § 4047; Code 1935, § 4534; 10 Del. C. 1953, § 9596; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1.