South Carolina Code of Laws
Chapter 17 - Paternity And Child Support
Section 63-17-2740. Levy upon property; refusal to surrender; discharge of obligation.

(A) If an obligor against whom a lien has arisen and has been perfected under Section 63-17-2730 neglects or refuses to pay the sum due after the expiration of the thirty-day notice period specified in Section 63-17-2720, the division may collect the unpaid child support and levy upon all property as provided in this section. For the purposes of this section, "levy" includes the power of distraint and seizure by any means. A person in possession of property upon which a lien having priority under Section 63-17-2730 has been perfected, upon demand, shall surrender the property to the division as pursuant to this section. Financial institutions which hold assets of an obligor, after proper identification and notification by the division, shall encumber or surrender deposits, credits, or other personal property held by the institution on behalf of an obligor who is subject to a child support lien, pursuant to Section 63-17-2320. Financial institutions are allowed to either submit account information directly to the State where it is matched against the parent data base, or financial institutions may request a file and complete the comparison and submit it directly to the State. The social security number must be used for the matching process and not the full name of the person who maintains an account with that entity. A levy on property held by an organization with respect to a life insurance or endowment contract, without necessity for the surrender of the contract document, constitutes a demand by the division for payment of the amount of the lien and the exercise of the right of the obligor to the advance of the amount. The organization shall pay the amount ninety days after service of the notice of levy. The levy is considered satisfied if the organization pays over to the division the full amount which the obligor could have had advanced to him, if the amount does not exceed the amount of the lien. Whenever any property upon which levy has been made is not sufficient to satisfy the claim of the state for which levy is made, the division thereafter, as often as may be necessary, proceed to levy, without further notice, upon any other property of the obligor subject to levy upon first perfecting its lien as provided in Section 63-17-2730, until the amount due from the obligor and the expenses are fully paid. With respect to a seizure or levy of real property or tangible personal property, the sheriff shall proceed in the manner prescribed by Sections 15-39-610, et seq., insofar as these sections are not inconsistent with this article. The division has rights to property remaining after satisfying superior perfected liens, as provided in Section 63-17-2730.
(B) Upon demand by the division, a person who fails or refuses to surrender property subject to levy pursuant to this section is liable in his own person and estate to the State in a sum equal to the value of the property not so surrendered but not exceeding the amount of the lien, and the costs at the rate established by Section 23-19-10.
(C) A person in possession of, or obligated with respect to, property who, upon demand by the division, surrenders the property or discharges the obligations to the division or who pays a liability under this article, must be discharged from any obligation or liability to the obligor arising from the surrender or payment. A levy on an organization with respect to a life insurance or endowment contract which is satisfied pursuant to this article, discharges the organization from any obligation or liability to any beneficiary arising from the surrender or payment.
HISTORY: 2008 Act No. 361, Section 2.

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