(1) Upon the determination and assessment of the amount of unpaid taxes and penalties due, the department may issue a warrant, under its official seal, directed to the sheriff of any county of the state, commanding said sheriff to levy upon and sell the goods and chattels of such person found within the sheriff’s jurisdiction for the payment of the amount of such delinquency, with the added penalties and interest and the cost of executing the warrant and conducting the sale, and to return such warrant to the department and pay the department the money collected by virtue thereof. However, any surplus resulting from said sale after all payments of costs, penalties, and delinquent taxes have been made shall be returned to the person in default. If there is jeopardy to the revenue and jeopardy is asserted in or with an assessment, the department shall proceed in the manner specified for jeopardy assessment in s. 213.732.

(2) The sheriff to whom any such warrant shall be directed shall proceed upon the same in all respects to and with like effect and in the same manner (with the exceptions herein noted) as prescribed by law in respect to executions issued against goods and chattels upon judgments by the several circuit courts.

(3) In the event there shall be a contest or claim of any kind with reference to the property levied upon or the amount of taxes, costs, or penalties due, such contest or claim shall be tried in the circuit court in and for the county in which the warrant was executed as nearly as may be in the same manner and means as such contest or claim would have been tried in such court had the warrant originally issued upon a judgment rendered by said court. The warrant issued as aforesaid shall constitute prima facie evidence of the amount of taxes, interest, and penalties due to the state by the licensee, and the burden of proof shall be upon the licensee to show that the amounts or penalties were incorrect.

(4) Nothing in this section shall be construed as forfeiting or waiving any rights to collect such taxes, interest, or penalties by an action upon any bond that may be filed with the department under the provisions of part I or part II of this chapter or by suit or otherwise; and in case such suit, action, or other proceeding is instituted for the collection of the tax, such suit, action, or other proceeding shall not be construed as waiving any other right herein provided. Any civil proceeding under part I or part II of this chapter shall not be construed as a waiver or estoppel in any criminal proceeding against such person under part I or part II of this chapter.

History.—s. 24, ch. 16082, 1933; CGL 1936 Supp. 1167(84); s. 7, ch. 22858, 1945; s. 7, ch. 63-253; s. 5, ch. 65-371; s. 2, ch. 65-420; ss. 21, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 1, ch. 70-995; s. 89, ch. 81-259; s. 87, ch. 85-342; s. 10, ch. 92-315; s. 1064, ch. 95-147; s. 15, ch. 95-417.

Note.—Former s. 207.10.