77.28 Garnishment; attorney’s fees, costs, expenses; deposit required. - Florida Statutes

77.28 Garnishment; attorney’s fees, costs, expenses; deposit required.

Before issuance of any writ of garnishment, the party applying for it shall deposit $100 in the registry of the court which shall be paid to the garnishee on the garnishee’s demand at any time after the service of the writ for the payment or part payment of his or her attorney’s fee which the garnishee expends or agrees to expend in obtaining representation in response to the writ. At the time of deposit, the clerk shall collect the statutory fee provided by s. 28.24(10) in addition to the $100 deposited into the registry of the court. On rendering final judgment, the court shall determine the garnishee’s costs and expenses, including a reasonable attorney’s fee, and in the event of a judgment in favor of the plaintiff, the amount shall be subject to offset by the garnishee against the defendant whose property or debt owing is being garnished. In addition, the court shall tax the garnishee’s costs and expenses as costs. Plaintiff may recover in this manner the sum advanced by plaintiff and paid into registry of court, and if the amount allowed by the court is greater than the amount of the deposit, together with any offset, judgment for the garnishee shall be entered against the party against whom the costs are taxed for the deficiency.

History. s. 1, ch. 21772, 1943; s. 27, ch. 67-254; s. 2, ch. 81-301; s. 4, ch. 85-272; s. 1, ch. 88-234; s. 401, ch. 95-147; s. 76, ch. 2003-402.