509.414 Judgment for plaintiff when goods retained by or redelivered to defendant. - Florida Statutes

509.414 Judgment for plaintiff when goods retained by or redelivered to defendant.

   (1) If it appears that the property was retained by, or redelivered to, the defendant on the defendant’s forthcoming bond, either under s. 509.406(4) or (6), the plaintiff shall take judgment for the property, which may include reasonable attorney’s fees and costs, and against the defendant and the surety on the forthcoming bond for the value of the outstanding account, and the judgment, which may include reasonable attorney’s fees and costs, shall be satisfied by the recovery and sale of the property or the amount adjudged against the defendant and the defendant’s surety.

   (2) After the judgment is rendered, the plaintiff may seek a writ of possession for the property and execution for the plaintiff’s costs or have execution against the defendant and the defendant’s surety for the amount recovered and costs. If the plaintiff elects to have a writ of possession for the property and the officer is unable to find the property, the plaintiff may immediately have execution against the defendant and the defendant’s surety for the whole amount recovered less the value of any property found by the officer. If the plaintiff has execution for the whole amount, the officer shall release all property taken under the writ of possession.

   (3) In any proceeding to ascertain the value of the property so that judgment for the value may be entered, the value of each article shall be found.

History. s. 1, ch. 77-249; ss. 39, 42, ch. 79-240; ss. 3, 4, ch. 81-161; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 46, 51, 52, ch. 90-339; s. 4, ch. 91-429.