§ 700.140 Deposit accounts; execution lien; liability of financial institution; termination of lien
§ 700.140. Deposit accounts; execution lien; liability of financial institution; termination of lien
(a) Subject to Section 700.160, to levy upon a deposit account, the levying officer shall personally serve a copy of the writ of execution and a notice of levy on the financial institution with which the deposit account is maintained, or shall personally serve the writ of execution and notice of levy to a centralized location within this state as designated by the financial institution. If the writ of execution is received at the designated central location, it shall apply to all deposit accounts held by the financial institution regardless of the location of that property. The execution lien reaches only amounts in the deposit account at the time of service on the financial institution, including any item in the deposit account that is in the process of being collected, unless the item is returned unpaid to the financial institution. This section does not require a financial institution to designate a central location for personal service of the writ of execution and notice of levy.
(b) At the time of levy or promptly thereafter, the levying officer shall serve a copy of the writ of execution and a notice of levy on any third person in whose name the deposit account stands. Service shall be made personally or by mail.
(c) During the time the execution lien is in effect, the financial institution shall not honor a check or other order for the payment of money drawn against, and shall not pay a withdrawal from, the deposit account that would reduce the deposit account to an amount that is less than the amount levied upon. For the purposes of this subdivision, in determining the amount of the deposit account, the financial institution shall not include the amount of items deposited to the credit of the deposit account that are in the process of being collected.
(d) During the time the execution lien is in effect, the financial institution is not liable to any person for any of the following:
(1) Performance of the duties of a garnishee under the levy.
(2) Nonpayment of a check or other order for the payment of money drawn or presented against the deposit account if the nonpayment is pursuant to the requirements of subdivision (c).
(3) Refusal to pay a withdrawal from the deposit account if the refusal is pursuant to the requirements of subdivision (c).
(e) When the amount levied upon pursuant to this section is paid to the levying officer, the execution lien on the deposit account levied upon terminates.
(f) For the purposes of this section, neither of the following is a third person in whose name the deposit account stands:
(1) A person who is only a person named as the beneficiary of a Totten trust account.
(2) A person who is only a payee designated in a pay-on-death provision in an account pursuant to Section 18318.5 of the Financial Code or Section 5140 of the Probate Code, or other similar provision.