Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011

63.

Amendment of section 8 of Enforcement of Court Orders Act 1940.

63.— The Enforcement of Court Orders Act 1940 is amended by the substitution of the following for section 8:

“Enforcement of certain orders for periodical payments.

8.— (1) Where a monetary amount payable by virtue of an antecedent order within the meaning of the Family Law (Maintenance of Spouses and Children) Act 1976 is not duly paid, the person entitled to the payments (in this section referred to as the applicant) may apply to the relevant District Court clerk for the issue of a summons directed to the person by whom such amounts are payable (in this section referred to as the defaulter) requiring the defaulter to attend before the District Court at a time and date specified in the summons for the purpose of giving evidence to the court as to his or her means and assets and on the hearing of such summons such person may be examined on oath by or on behalf of the applicant.

(2) Having heard evidence as to the amount outstanding on foot of such order and having heard evidence as to the means and assets of the defaulter, the District Court Judge may make such order as to the payment, collection or recovery of the amounts outstanding under such order as to the Judge seems fair and reasonable including one or more than one of the following:

(a) where the Judge is satisfied that there are monies due and owing by any other person to the defaulter, an order directing such other person to pay the monies concerned to the relevant District Court clerk to the extent of the amount outstanding to the applicant on foot of the order referred to in subsection (1) and which is specified in the order together with the costs of the application under this section,

(b) where the Judge is satisfied that there are monies which will become due or may become due by any other person to the defaulter, an order directing such other person to pay any such monies to the relevant District Court clerk to the extent of the amount outstanding to the applicant on foot of the order referred to in subsection (1) and which is specified in the order together with the costs of the application under this section,

(c) where the Judge is satisfied that it would be effective to do so, an order that the amounts outstanding to the applicant referred to in subsection (1) be levied by distress against the goods of the defaulter and the sale of such goods and for the transmission to the relevant District Court clerk of the proceeds of sale after payment of all costs and expenses properly arising in connection with the levying of distress and the sale of the goods.

(3) Every distress and sale made in pursuance of an order of the District Court Judge under this section shall be carried out by the appropriate under-sheriff.

(4) All moneys received by the relevant District Court clerk shall be paid as soon as practicable after receipt to the applicant.

(5) In this section “relevant District Court clerk” means the District Court clerk for the District Court area in which the defaulter resides or carries on any profession, business or occupation, unless by virtue of any other enactment relating to the antecedent order concerned any other District Court clerk is the relevant District Court clerk as respects that antecedent order.”.