Code of Civil Procedure section 708.780

(a)

Filing of the abstract or certified copy of the judgment and the affidavit pursuant to this article creates a lien on the money owing and unpaid to the judgment debtor by the public entity in an amount equal to that which may properly be applied to the satisfaction of the money judgment under this article.

(b)

When an affidavit is filed pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 708.730, it shall apply to all claims for refund from the Franchise Tax Board under the Personal Income Tax Law, Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, or the Bank and Corporation Tax Law, Part 11 (commencing with Section 23001) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, which the judgment debtor subsequently claims during a period one year after filing of the affidavit, or October 1 of the year following the filing of the affidavit, whichever occurs later, the same as if claims for these overpayments were filed by the judgment debtor with the appropriate state agency on the date the affidavit was filed.

(c)

When a request is filed pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 708.730 with the court, the clerk of the court shall issue a Notice of Support Arrearage. The clerk of the court shall issue the notice 30 days after the request was filed pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 708.730 without a hearing if no objection has been raised by the judgment debtor pursuant to this subdivision. If an objection has been raised, the notice shall not be ordered until after a hearing. The notice shall contain the name of the person ordered to pay support and his or her social security number; the amount of the arrearage determined by the court; whether the arrearage is for child, spousal, or family support and the specific combination thereof; a statement of how the recipient may challenge the statement of arrearage; and the name, address, and social security number of the person to whom the arrearage is owed. Upon the clerk of the court issuing the Notice of Support Arrearage, a copy of the request, the affidavit, and the notice shall be served by the party who requested the court to issue the Notice of Support Arrearage upon the person ordered to pay support and the Controller. Service may be personal, in accordance with Section 1011, or by mail, in accordance with Section 1013. Service upon the Controller shall be at the Controller’s office in Sacramento.
The judgment debtor may object to the request or affidavit upon any of the following grounds: (1) there is an error in the amount of the arrearage stated in the affidavit; (2) the alleged judgment debtor is not the judgment debtor from whom the support is due; (3) the amount to be intercepted exceeds that allowable under federal law; (4) a default in payment of the support for 30 days has not occurred; or (5) other necessary factual allegations contained in the affidavit are erroneous.
Upon receipt of the Notice of Support Arrearage, the Controller shall take reasonable measures to deduct from any personal income tax refunds and lottery winnings owed and processed for payment to the judgment debtor and deposit with the court a warrant, subject to Section 708.770 and 708.775, with service of a copy of the warrant upon the local child support agency of the county in which the support judgment is entered, payable to the court, the amount due the judgment creditor (after deducting an amount sufficient to reimburse the state for any amounts advanced to the judgment debtor or owed by the judgment debtor to the state) required to satisfy the money judgment as shown by the affidavit in full or to the greatest extent, and pay the balance thereof, if any, to the judgment debtor. At any hearing pursuant to Section 708.770, the judgment debtor may challenge the distribution of these funds on exemption or other grounds, including, but not limited to, an allegation that the judgment has been satisfied or that service was improper. The notice shall not apply to any money which is exempt by law from execution. The Controller shall determine the cost of enforcing the notice and may establish a notice filing fee not to exceed five dollars ($5).
Service of the Notice of Support Arrearage and of the request and affidavit pursuant to this subdivision creates a lien on the money owing and unpaid to the judgment debtor which shall become effective 30 days following service upon the Controller. This notice shall remain in effect for four years from the date of its issuance or until the arrearage for which the notice was issued is satisfied, whichever occurs first.
Any person who files a request with the court to issue a Notice of Support Arrearage pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 708.730 shall notify the court and the Controller of any satisfaction of the arrearage after the Notice of Support Arrearage has been issued by the clerk of the court. The notice to the court and the Controller shall be filed with the court and the Controller and served upon the local child support agency of the county in which the support judgment is entered within 30 days of the satisfaction or discharge and shall show a partial or full satisfaction of the arrearage or any other resolution of the arrearage.
Upon filing and service, the Notice of Support Arrearage shall be of no force and effect.
The State Department of Social Services shall, upon request, inform the Legislature of the use and effect of this subdivision on or before December 31, 2001.
This subdivision shall become operative on January 1, 1996, and shall become inoperative on December 31, 2001.

(d)

For purposes of this section, “support” means an obligation owing on behalf of a child, spouse, or family, or combination thereof.

Source: Section 708.780, https://leginfo.­legislature.­ca.­gov/faces/codes_displaySection.­xhtml?lawCode=CCP§ionNum=708.­780.­ (accessed May 4, 2025).

Last Updated

Apr. 24, 2025

§ 708.780’s source at ca​.gov