(a) Subject to Sections 488.465 and 684.115, to attach property in a safe-deposit box, the levying officer shall personally serve a copy of the writ of attachment and a notice of attachment on the financial institution with which the safe-deposit box is maintained.
(b) At the time of levy or promptly thereafter, the levying officer shall serve a copy of the writ of attachment and a notice of attachment on any third person in whose name the safe-deposit box stands.
(c) During the time the attachment lien is in effect, the financial institution may not permit the removal of any of the contents of the safe-deposit box except as directed by the levying officer.
(d) Upon receipt of a garnishee’s memorandum from the financial institution, as required by Section 488.610, indicating a safe-deposit box is under levy, the levying officer shall promptly mail a written notice to the judgment creditor demanding an additional fee as required by Section 26723 of the Government Code, plus the costs to open the safe-deposit box and seize and store the contents. The levying officer shall release the levy on the safe-deposit box if the plaintiff does not pay the required fee, plus costs, within three business days plus the extended time period specified in subdivision (a) of Section 1013 for service by mail by the levying officer.
(e) The levying officer may first give the person in whose name the safe-deposit box stands an opportunity to open the safe-deposit box to permit the removal pursuant to the attachment of the attached property. The financial institution may refuse to permit the forcible opening of the safe-deposit box to permit the removal of the attached property unless the plaintiff or levying officer pays in advance the cost of forcibly opening the safe-deposit box and of repairing any damage caused thereby.
(f) During the time the attachment 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 attachment.
(2) Refusal to permit access to the safe-deposit box by the person in whose name it stands.
(3) Removal of any of the contents of the safe-deposit box pursuant to the attachment.
(g) If the levying officer removes any property from the safe-deposit box to satisfy the levy, but allows other property to remain in the safe-deposit box, the attachment lien is released automatically with respect to any property that remains in the safe-deposit box.
(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 484, Sec. 3. (AB 2364) Effective January 1, 2013.)