(a) A garnishment proceeding is an action between the plaintiff and garnishee; provided, however, that at any time before a judgment is entered or before money or other property subject to garnishment is distributed, the defendant may become a party to the garnishment by filing a claim with the clerk of court and may use the form set forth in Code Section 18-4-82. A defendant's claim shall assert the basis upon which he or she claims that his or her money or other property is exempt from garnishment. Money or other property may be exempt from garnishment for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to, the limitations on garnishment as provided in Code Sections 18-4-5 and 18-4-53, exemptions as provided in Code Section 18-4-6, the plaintiff not having a judgment against the defendant, the amount claimed due by the plaintiff being erroneous, such money or other property being subject to a claim held by a third party that is superior to the judgment described in the affidavit of garnishment, or other legal or statutory defenses. Even when earnings are held at a financial institution, such money may be exempt from garnishment due to the limitations on garnishment as provided in Code Sections 18-4-5 and 18-4-53, exemptions as provided in Code Section 18-4-6, or other reasons.

(b) The defendant shall serve a copy of his or her claim upon the plaintiff and garnishee. The clerk of court shall transmit a copy of the defendant's claim to the plaintiff and garnishee. If the defendant's claim alleges that money or other property in the possession of the court may be subject to a claim held by a third party that is superior to the judgment described in the affidavit of garnishment, the defendant shall serve a copy of his or her claim upon the third party named in such claim.

(c) The defendant shall become a party to all proceedings by filing a claim pursuant to this Code section.

(d) Upon the filing of the defendant's claim, a judge of the court in which the garnishment is pending shall order a hearing to be held not more than ten days from the date the claim is filed. The form for the order for such hearing is set forth in Code Section 18-4-83. Such hearing shall be available to the defendant as a matter of right after filing his or her claim, and no further summons of garnishment shall issue nor shall any money or other property paid or delivered to the court as subject to garnishment be disbursed until the hearing shall be held.

(e) The validity of the judgment upon which a garnishment is based shall only be challenged in accordance with Chapter 11 of Title 9, and no such challenge shall be entertained in the garnishment case. However, when the court finds that the defendant has attacked the validity of the judgment upon which the garnishment is based in an appropriate forum, the judge may order the garnishment be stayed until the validity of the judgment has been determined in such forum.

(f) The filing of a claim by the defendant shall not relieve the garnishee of the duties of filing a garnishee answer, of withholding money or other property subject to garnishment, or of paying or delivering to the court any money or other property subject to garnishment.

(g) A party's failure to include the civil action file number on a defendant's claim shall not affect the validity of such claim.