Sec. 3. (a) The county sheriff of a county shall attempt to levy on and collect a judgment arising from a tax warrant in that county for a period of one hundred twenty (120) days from the date the judgment lien is entered, unless the sheriff is relieved of that duty at an earlier time by the department. The sheriff shall also have authority to attempt to levy on and collect the outstanding tax liability if the taxpayer does not pay the amount demanded under section 2(b) of this chapter and the taxpayer has taken an action under section 2(n) of this chapter to foreclose the lien. The sheriff's authority to collect the warrant exists only while the sheriff holds the tax warrant, and if the sheriff surrenders the warrant to the department for any reason the sheriff's authority to collect that tax warrant ceases. During the period that the sheriff has the duty to collect a tax warrant, the sheriff shall collect from the person owing the tax, an amount equal to the amount of the judgment lien plus the accrued interest to the date of the payment. Subject to subsection (b), the sheriff shall make the collection by garnisheeing the person's wages and by levying on and selling any interest in property or rights in any chose in action that the person has in the county. The Indiana laws which provide relief for debtors by exempting certain property from levy by creditors do not apply to levy and sale proceedings for judgments arising from tax warrants.

(b) A sheriff shall sell property to satisfy a tax warrant in a manner that is reasonably likely to bring the highest net proceeds from the sale after deducting the expenses of the offer to sell and sale. A sheriff may engage an auctioneer to advertise a sale and to conduct a public auction, unless the person being levied files an objection with the clerk of the circuit or superior court having the tax warrant within five (5) days of the day that the sheriff informs the person of the person's right to object. The advertising conducted by the auctioneer is in addition to any other notice required by law, and shall include a detailed description of the property to be sold. When an auctioneer is engaged under this subsection and the auctioneer files a verified claim with the clerk of the circuit or superior court with whom the tax warrant is filed, the sheriff may pay the reasonable fee and reasonable expenses of the auctioneer from the gross proceeds of the sale before other expenses and the judgment arising from the tax warrant are paid. As used in this section, "auctioneer" means an auctioneer licensed under IC 25-6.1.

(c) The sheriff shall deposit all amounts that the sheriff collects under this section, including partial payments, into a special trust account for judgments collected that arose from tax warrants. The sheriff shall notify the department, in a manner specified by the department, of the name of the taxpayer and the amount of the payment within seven (7) days of receipt. In the event of an emergency, a taxpayer may direct the sheriff to make a payment on the taxpayer's behalf using the department's electronic payment portal when certified funds have been received by the sheriff. On or before the fifth day of each month, the sheriff shall disburse the money in the tax warrant judgment lien trust account in the following order:

(1) The sheriff shall pay the department the part of the collections that represents taxes, interest, and penalties.

(2) The sheriff shall pay the county treasurer and the clerk of the circuit or superior court the part of the collections that represents their assessed costs.

(3) Except as provided in subdivisions (4) and (5), the sheriff shall keep the part of the collections that represents the ten percent (10%) collection fee added under section 2(b) of this chapter.

(4) If the sheriff has entered a salary contract under IC 36-2-13-2.5, the sheriff shall deposit in the county general fund the part of the collections that represents the ten percent (10%) collection fee added under section 2(b) of this chapter.

(5) If the sheriff has not entered into a salary contract under IC 36-2-13-2.5, the sheriff shall deposit in the county general fund the part of the collections that:

(A) represents the ten percent (10%) collection fee added under section 2(b) of this chapter; and

(B) would, if kept by the sheriff, result in the total amount of the sheriff's annual compensation exceeding the maximum amount allowed under IC 36-2-13-17.

The department shall establish the procedure for the disbursement of partial payments so that the intent of this section is carried out.

(d) After the period described in subsection (a) has passed, the sheriff shall return the tax warrant to the department. However, if the department determines that:

(1) at the end of this period the sheriff is in the process of collecting the judgment arising from a tax warrant in periodic payments of sufficient size that the judgment will be fully paid within one (1) year after the date the judgment was filed; and

(2) the sheriff's electronic data base regarding tax warrants is compatible with the department's data base;

the sheriff may keep the tax warrant and continue collections.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the department may order a sheriff to return a tax warrant at any time, if the department feels that action is necessary to protect the interests of the state.

(f) This subsection applies only to the sheriff of a county having a consolidated city or a second class city. In such a county, the ten percent (10%) collection fee added under section 2(b) of this chapter shall be divided as follows:

(1) Subject to subsection (g), the sheriff may retain forty thousand dollars ($40,000), plus one-fifth (1/5) of any fees exceeding that forty thousand dollar ($40,000) amount.

(2) Two-fifths (2/5) of any fees exceeding that forty thousand dollar ($40,000) amount shall be deposited in the sheriff's department's pension trust fund.

(3) Two-fifths (2/5) of any fees exceeding that forty thousand dollar ($40,000) amount shall be deposited in the county general fund.

(g) If an amount of the collection fee added under section 2(b) of this chapter would, if retained by the sheriff under subsection (f)(1), cause the total amount of the sheriff's annual compensation to exceed the maximum amount allowed under IC 36-2-13-17, the sheriff shall instead deposit the amount in the county general fund.

(h) Money deposited into a county general fund under subsections (c)(5) and (g) must be used as follows:

(1) To reduce any unfunded liability of a sheriff's pension trust plan established for the county's sheriff's department.

(2) Any amounts remaining after complying with subdivision (1) must be applied to the costs incurred to operate the county's sheriff's department.

As added by Acts 1980, P.L.61, SEC.1. Amended by Acts 1982, P.L.65, SEC.1; P.L.32-1983, SEC.3; P.L.46-1991, SEC.8; P.L.1-1993, SEC.44; P.L.83-1993, SEC.1; P.L.1-1994, SEC.32; P.L.129-2001, SEC.23; P.L.111-2006, SEC.7; P.L.40-2008, SEC.1; P.L.99-2011, SEC.2; P.L.234-2019, SEC.35.