The court shall, upon motion made by the plaintiff, defendant, or any other person, party to the proceedings, claiming to have a lien on the property or any part thereof under § 34-28-1, 34-28-2, 34-28-3 or 34-28-7, had any claim against the property at the time of filing the complaint, or on becoming a party to the proceedings, the court shall, by itself or by a master to be appointed by it for that purpose, proceed to ascertain the exact nature and amount of each claim on the property or any part thereof, made by or belonging to any party to the proceedings, the amount of which to be allowed and paid shall be computed on the basis of the value of the property prior to the construction, erection, alteration, or reparation which is the subject matter of the complaint, and the order in which, in accordance with § 34-28-25, they should be paid, and, in the event no payment has been made into the registry of the court as provided in § 34-28-17, how much of the property, and especially how much, if any, and what portions of land under and adjoining the same, subject to sale by the provisions of this chapter, should be sold to satisfy the claims; and thereupon the court shall decree the property or some part of it, or the interest of the person defendant in the property or some part of it at the time the lien accrued, to be sold by and under the direction of a master to be appointed for that purpose, with instructions, restrictions, and conditions as it shall give in the premises, and the master shall make the sale in accordance with the instructions, restrictions and conditions, free and clear of all titles, claims, leases, mortgages, attachments, or other liens or encumbrances (including all liens under § 34-28-1, 34-28-2, 34-28-3 or 34-28-7 and all rights of dower and curtesy), except of persons who have rights which are excepted in § 34-28-16 from being void and wholly lost unless an appearance and account and demand or claim is filed in accordance therewith.
History of Section.
G.L. 1896, ch. 206, § 16; G.L. 1909, ch. 257, § 16; G.L. 1923, ch. 301, § 16; G.L. 1938, ch. 445, § 16; G.L. 1956, § 34-28-16; G.L. 1956, § 34-28-21; P.L. 1965, ch. 235, § 1; P.L. 1991, ch. 328, § 1; P.L. 2006, ch. 630, § 1.