House Bill 449 - Garnishments Summary

• Establishes "serving attorney" as an alternative to sheriffs for wage garnishments and other collection actions, defined as an active Idaho State Bar member

• Permits serving attorneys to charge fees up to $40.00 per case for wage garnishment, execution levies, and money collection, plus $5.00 for each interim return on continuing garnishments

• Revises service procedures for garnishment writs to allow certified mail or first-class mail with facsimile acknowledgment as alternatives to personal service

• Updates exemption claim procedures to require 14-day filing deadline (calculated with intervening weekends/holidays included) and provides forms in English and Spanish

• Makes technical corrections and clarifications to garnishment statutes including terminology changes from "plaintiff" to "judgment creditor" and references to "serving attorney" throughout Chapters 8 and 11 of Idaho Code