A. A general garnishment shall be commenced by filing the affidavit provided for by Section 1172 of this title.

B. The summons required by this section shall be on a form prescribed by the Office of the Administrative Director of the Courts.

C. The summons required by subsection B of this section shall be served upon the garnishee together with a copy of the judgment creditor's affidavit, a garnishee's answer form, notice of garnishment and request for hearing, and claim for exemptions in the manner provided for in Section 2004 of this title and shall be returned with proof of service within ten (10) days of its date.

D. The garnishee's answer shall be on a form prescribed by the Office of the Administrative Director of the Courts.

E. Within ten (10) days after service of the garnishment, the garnishee shall file its answer with the court clerk and pay or deliver to the judgment creditor's attorney or to the judgment creditor if there is no attorney the indebtedness or property belonging to or owed to the defendant, together with a copy of the answer which shall state:

1. Whether the garnishee was indebted or under any liability to or had in garnishee's possession or control, any property belonging to the defendant. When the garnishee shall be in doubt respecting any such liability or indebtedness, the garnishee may set forth all of the facts and circumstances concerning the same, and submit the question to the court;

2. If the garnishee shall claim any setoff, defense, other indebtedness, liability, lien, or claim to the property, the facts and circumstances;

3. At the garnishee's option, any claim of exemption from execution on the part of the defendant, or other objection known to the garnishee against the right of the judgment creditor to apply the indebtedness or property disclosed;

4. If the garnishee shall disclose any indebtedness or the possession of any property to which the defendant or any other person makes claim, at the garnishee's option, the names and addresses of such other claimants and, so far as known, the nature of the claims; and

5. That the garnishee has mailed or hand-delivered a copy of the notice of garnishment and exemptions, application for hearing, and the manner and date of compliance.

F. The garnishment summons and affidavit served on the garnishee under this section are a lien on the defendant's property due at the time of service of the summons to the extent the property is not exempt from garnishment.

Added by Laws 1986, c. 185, § 7, eff. Sept. 1, 1986. Amended by Laws 1990, c. 248, § 3, emerg. eff. May 21, 1990; Laws 1995, c. 338, § 5, eff. Nov. 1, 1995.