(a) Where debts are due from a defaulting or delinquent postmaster, contractor, or other officer, agent or employee of the Post Office Department, a warrant of attachment may issue against all property and legal and equitable rights belonging to him, and his sureties, or either of them, where he—
(1) is a nonresident of the district where he was appointed, or has departed from that district for the purpose of permanently residing outside thereof, or of avoiding the service of civil process; and
(2) has conveyed away, or is about to convey away any of his property, or has removed or is about to remove the same from the district wherein it is situated, with intent to defraud the United States.
(b) When the property has been removed, the marshal of the district into which it has been removed, upon receipt of certified copies of the warrant, may seize the property and convey it to a convenient place within the jurisdiction of the court which issued the warrant. Alias warrants may be issued upon due application. The warrant first issued remains valid until the return day thereof.
(Added Pub. L. 86–682, §9, Sept. 2, 1960, 74 Stat. 706.)
Section was derived from R.S. §924, which was originally classified to section 737 of former Title 28. Following the general revision and enactment of Title 28 by act June 25, 1948, R.S. §924 was reclassified to section 837 of Title 39. R.S. §924 was repealed by section 12(c) of Pub. L. 86–682 (section 1 of which revised and enacted Title 39), and reenacted by section 9 thereof as section 2710 of this title.
References to Post Office Department, Postal Service, Postal Field Service, Field Postal Service, or Departmental Service or Departmental Headquarters of Post Office Department to be considered references to United States Postal Service pursuant to Pub. L. 91–375, §6(o), Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 783, set out as a Cross Reference note preceding section 101 of Title 39, Postal Service.
Chapter effective Sept. 1, 1960, see section 11 of Pub. L. 86–682.
A United States attorney or assistant United States attorney or a person authorized by the Attorney General—
(1) upon his own affidavit or that of another credible person, stating the existence of either of the grounds of attachments enumerated in section 2710 of this title and
(2) upon production of legal evidence of the debt
may apply for a warrant of attachment to a judge, or, in his absence, to the clerk of any court of the United States having original jurisdiction of the cause of action.
(Added Pub. L. 86–682, §9, Sept. 2, 1960, 74 Stat. 707.)
Section was derived from R.S. §925, which was originally classified to section 738 of former Title 28. Following the general revision and enactment of Title 28 by act June 25, 1948, R.S. §925 was reclassified to section 838 of Title 39. R.S. §925 was repealed by section 12(c) of Pub. L. 86–682 (section 1 of which revised and enacted Title 39), and reenacted by section 9 thereof as section 2711 of this title.
Upon an order of a judge of a court, or, in his absence and upon the clerk's own initiative, the clerk shall issue a warrant for the attachment of the property belonging to the person specified in the affidavit. The marshal shall execute the warrant forthwith and take the property attached, if personal, in his custody, subject to the interlocutory or final orders of the court.
(Added Pub. L. 86–682, §9, Sept. 2, 1960, 74 Stat. 707.)
Section was derived from R.S. §926, which was originally classified to section 739 of former Title 28. Following the general revision and enactment of Title 28 by act June 25, 1948, R.S. §926 was reclassified to section 839 of Title 39. R.S. §926 was repealed by section 12(c) of Pub. L. 86–682 (section 1 of which revised and enacted Title 39), and reenacted by section 9 thereof as section 2712 of this title.
Not later than twenty days before the return day of a warrant issued under section 2712 of this title, the party whose property is attached, on notice to the United States Attorney, may file a plea in abatement, denying the allegations of the affidavit, or denying ownership in the defendant of the property attached. The court, upon application of either party, shall order a trial by jury of the issues. Where the parties, by consent, waive a trial by jury, the court shall decide the issues. A party claiming ownership of the property attached and seeking its return is limited to the remedy afforded by this section, but his right to an action of trespass, or other action for damages, is not impaired.
(Added Pub. L. 86–682, §9, Sept. 2, 1960, 74 Stat. 707.)
Section was derived from R.S. §927, which was originally classified to section 740 of former Title 28. Following the general revision and enactment of Title 28 by act June 25, 1948, R.S. §927 was reclassified to section 840 of Title 39. R.S. §927 was repealed by section 12(c) of Pub. L. 86–682 (section 1 of which revised and enacted Title 39), and reenacted by section 9 thereof as section 2713 of this title.
When the property attached is sold on an interlocutory order or is producing revenue, the money arising from the sale or revenue shall be invested, under the order of the court, in securities of the United States. The accretions therefrom are subject to the order of the court.
(Added Pub. L. 86–682, §9, Sept. 2, 1960, 74 Stat. 707.)
Section was derived from R.S. §928, which was originally classified to section 741 of former Title 28. Following the general revision and enactment of Title 28 by act June 25, 1948, R.S. §928 was reclassified to section 841 of Title 39. R.S. §928 was repealed by section 12(c) of Pub. L. 86–682 (section 1 of which revised and enacted Title 39), and reenacted by section 9 thereof as section 2714 of this title.
The marshal shall cause publication of an executed warrant of attachment—
(1) for two months in case of an absconding debtor, and
(2) for four months in case of a nonresident debtor
in a newspaper published in the district where the property is situated pursuant to the details of the order under which the warrant is issued.
(Added Pub. L. 86–682, §9, Sept. 2, 1960, 74 Stat. 707.)
Section was derived from R.S. §929, which was originally classified to section 742 of former Title 28. Following the general revision and enactment of Title 28 by act June 25, 1948, R.S. §929 was reclassified to section 842 of Title 39. R.S. §929 was repealed by section 12(c) of Pub. L. 86–682 (section 1 of which revised and enacted Title 39), and reenacted by section 9 thereof as section 2715 of this title.
After the first publication of the notice of attachment, a person indebted to, or having possession of property of a defendant and having knowledge of the notice, shall answer for the amount of his debt or the value of the property. Any disposal or attempted disposal of the property, to the injury of the United States, is unlawful. When the person indebted to, or having possession of the property of a defendant, is known to the United States attorney or marshal, the officer shall cause a personal notice of the attachment to be served upon him, but the lack of the notice does not invalidate the attachment.
(Added Pub. L. 86–682, §9, Sept. 2, 1960, 74 Stat. 707.)
Section was derived from R.S. §930, which was originally classified to section 743 of former Title 28. Following the general revision and enactment of Title 28 by act June 25, 1948, R.S. §930 was reclassified to section 843 of Title 39. R.S. §930 was repealed by section 12(c) of Pub. L. 86–682 (section 1 of which revised and enacted Title 39), and reenacted by section 9 thereof as section 2716 of this title.
The court, or a judge thereof, upon—
(1) application of the party when property has been attached and
(2) execution to the United States of a penal bond, approved by a judge, in double the value of the property attached and conditioned upon the return of the property or the payment of any judgment rendered by the court
may discharge the warrant of attachment as to the property of the applicant.
(Added Pub. L. 86–682, §9, Sept. 2, 1960, 74 Stat. 708.)
Section was derived from R.S. §931, which was originally classified to section 744 of former Title 28. Following the general revision and enactment of Title 28 by act June 25, 1948, R.S. §931 was reclassified to section 844 of Title 39. R.S. §931 was repealed by section 12(c) of Pub. L. 86–682 (section 1 of which revised and enacted Title 39), and reenacted by section 9 thereof as section 2717 of this title.
In suits for balances due the Post Office Department may recover interest at the rate of 6 per centum per year from the time of default.
(Added Pub. L. 86–682, §9, Sept. 2, 1960, 74 Stat. 708.)
Section was derived from R.S. §964, which was originally classified to section 788 of former Title 28. Following the general revision and enactment of Title 28 by act June 25, 1948, R.S. §964 was reclassified to section 846 of Title 39. R.S. §964 was repealed by section 12(c) of Pub. L. 86–682 (section 1 of which revised and enacted Title 39), and reenacted by section 9 thereof as section 2718 of this title.
References to Post Office Department, Postal Service, Postal Field Service, Field Postal Service, or Departmental Service or Departmental Headquarters of Post Office Department to be considered references to United States Postal Service pursuant to Pub. L. 91–375, §6(o), Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 783, set out as a Cross References note preceding section 101 of Title 39, Postal Service.