(a) When a deposit has been made in lieu of a bond pursuant to Section 995.710 of the Code of Civil Procedure, the person asserting a claim against the deposit shall, in lieu of proceeding under Section 996.430 of the Code of Civil Procedure, establish the claim by furnishing evidence to the Secretary of State of a money judgment entered by a court, together with evidence that the claimant is a person described in subdivision (b) of Section 1789.18.
(b) When a person has established the claim with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of State shall review and approve the claim and enter the date of approval thereon. The claim shall be designated an “approved claim.”
(c) When the first claim against a particular deposit has been approved, it shall not be paid until the expiration of a period of 240 days after the date of its approval by the Secretary of State. Subsequent claims that are approved by the Secretary of State within the same 240-day period shall similarly not be paid until the expiration of the 240-day period. Upon the expiration of the 240-day period, the Secretary of State shall pay all approved claims from that 240-day period in full unless the deposit is insufficient, in which case each approved claim shall be paid a pro rata share of the deposit.
(d) When the Secretary of State approves the first claim against a particular deposit after the expiration of a 240-day period, the date of approval of that claim shall begin a new 240-day period to which subdivision (c) shall apply with respect to any amount remaining in the deposit.
(e) After a deposit is exhausted, no further claims shall be paid by the Secretary of State. Claimants who have had their claims paid in full or in part pursuant to subdivision (c) or (d) shall not be required to return funds received from the deposit for the benefit of other claimants.
(f) When a deposit has been made in lieu of a bond, as specified in subdivision (a), the amount of the deposit shall not be subject to attachment, garnishment, or execution with respect to an action or judgment against the credit services organization, other than as to an amount as no longer needed or required for the purpose of this title which would otherwise be returned to the credit services organization by the Secretary of State.
(g) The Secretary of State shall retain a cash deposit for two years from the date the Secretary of State receives written notification from the assignor of the deposit that the assignor has ceased to engage in the business of a credit services organization or has filed a bond pursuant to Section 1789.18, provided that there are no outstanding claims against the deposit. The written notice shall include all of the following: (1) name, address, and telephone number of the assignor; (2) name, address, and telephone number of the bank at which the deposit is located; (3) account number of the deposit; and (4) a statement whether the assignor is ceasing to engage in the business of a credit services organization or has filed a bond with the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State shall forward an acknowledgment of receipt of the written notice to the assignor at the address indicated therein, specifying the date of receipt of the written notice and anticipated date of release of the deposit.
(h) This section shall apply to all deposits retained by the Secretary of State.
(i) A judge of a superior court may order the return of the deposit prior to the expiration of two years upon evidence satisfactory to the judge that there are no outstanding claims against the deposit or order the Secretary of State to retain the deposit for a sufficient period beyond the two years specified in subdivision (g) to resolve outstanding claims against the deposit account.
(Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 784, Sec. 13. Effective January 1, 2003.)