(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.
Structure Delaware Code
Title 10 - Courts and Judicial Procedure
Subchapter II. Civil Actions for Debt
§ 9522. Issuance and requirements of summons.
§ 9524. Service of summons; verification for default judgment.
§ 9525. Deposit for cost; representation of an artificial entity.
§ 9528. Requirement of special bail for certain adjournments.
§ 9529. Discharge of special bail.
§ 9530. Proceedings against special bail; scire facias.
§ 9531. Depositions of nonresidents.
§ 9533. Failure to appear; penalty.
§ 9534. Form of attachment for contempt.
§ 9535. Form of distress warrant.
§ 9536. Setoff or counterclaim.
§ 9537. Failure of defendant to appear; adjournment or judgment by default.
§ 9538. Application to vacate default judgment.
§ 9539. Failure of plaintiff to appear; adjournment or dismissal.
§ 9540. Entry of judgment; endorsement on cause of action.
§ 9542. Judgments against executor or administrator.
§ 9543. Setting aside judgment on warrant of attorney.
§ 9544. Six months stay of execution.
§ 9545. Nine months stay of execution; security.
§ 9546. Transfer of judgment to Superior Court docket after stay of execution.
§ 9548. Form of execution process.
§ 9549. Garnishees; time for appearance; pleadings.
§ 9550. Proceeding by garnishee charging collusion.
§ 9551. Appeal from proceeding by garnishee.
§ 9552. Time of binding of goods and chattels by execution; duration of lien.
§ 9554. Sale of goods levied upon; advertisement.
§ 9556. Duty of constable or sheriff upon receipt of execution; return of execution.
§ 9557. Venditioni exponas; issuance; requirements; effect.
§ 9558. Form of venditioni exponas.
§ 9560. Failure to pay over proceeds from execution.
§ 9561. Failure on return to produce receipt of proceeds.
§ 9562. Necessity of judgment and execution docket.
§ 9566. Entry of judgment satisfaction by justice.
§ 9567. Entry of judgment satisfaction by creditor or execution officer.
§ 9569. Transfer of judgment to Superior Court; lien on real estate.
§ 9571. Appeal in civil actions.
§ 9572. Proceedings on appeal.
§ 9573. Execution upon striking of appeal.
§ 9574. Abatement and dismissal.
§ 9576. Remedy against deceased surety; assignment of creditor's remedies to surety.
§ 9578. Survival of actions; parties.
§ 9579. Issuance, service and return of writ; proceedings.
§ 9580. Endorsement and docketing; assignment of judgment.
§ 9582. Proceeding by attachment.
§ 9583. Issuance of writ; affidavit.
§ 9584. Form of writ; form of Garnishee's Notice of Service.
§ 9585. Goods and chattels subject to attachment; notice; judgment; creditors.
§ 9586. Service on garnishee; compelling attendance.
§ 9587. Process to compel appearance of garnishee.
§ 9588. Garnishment proceedings.
§ 9589. Dissolution of attachment.
§ 9590. Delivery of goods to constable; defense of garnishee; liability of constable.