2007 Minnesota Statutes

268.058 LIEN, LEVY, SETOFF, AND CIVIL ACTION.
    Subdivision 1. Lien. (a) Any amount due under this chapter or section 116L.20, from an
applicant or an employer, becomes a lien upon all the property, within this state, both real and
personal, of the person liable, from the date of assessment. The term "date of assessment" means
the date the obligation was due.
    (b) The lien is not enforceable against any purchaser, mortgagee, pledgee, holder of a
Uniform Commercial Code security interest, mechanic's lien, or judgment lien creditor, until a
notice of lien has been filed with the county recorder of the county where the property is situated,
or in the case of personal property belonging to a nonresident person in the Office of the Secretary
of State. When the notice of lien is filed with the county recorder, the fee for filing and indexing is
as provided in sections 272.483 and 272.484.
    (c) Notices of liens, lien renewals, and lien releases, in a form prescribed by the
commissioner, may be filed with the county recorder or the secretary of state by mail, personal
delivery, or by electronic transmission into the computerized filing system of the secretary of state.
The secretary of state shall, on any notice filed with that office, transmit the notice electronically to
the appropriate county recorder. The filing officer, whether the county recorder or the secretary of
state, shall endorse and index a printout of the notice as if the notice had been mailed or delivered.
    (d) County recorders and the secretary of state shall enter information on lien notices,
renewals, and releases into the central database of the secretary of state. For notices filed
electronically with the county recorders, the date and time of receipt of the notice and county
recorder's file number, and for notices filed electronically with the secretary of state, the secretary
of state's recording information, must be entered into the central database before the close of the
working day following the day of the original data entry by the commissioner.
    (e) The lien imposed on personal property, even though properly filed, is not enforceable
against a purchaser of tangible personal property purchased at retail or personal property listed as
exempt in sections 550.37, 550.38, and 550.39.
    (f) A notice of lien filed has priority over any security interest arising under chapter 336,
article 9, that is perfected prior in time to the lien imposed by this subdivision, but only if:
    (1) the perfected security interest secures property not in existence at the time the notice of
lien is filed; and
    (2) the property comes into existence after the 45th calendar day following the day the
notice of lien is filed, or after the secured party has actual notice or knowledge of the lien filing,
whichever is earlier.
    (g) The lien is enforceable from the time the lien arises and for ten years from the date of
filing the notice of lien. A notice of lien may be renewed before expiration for an additional
ten years.
    (h) The lien is enforceable by levy under subdivision 2 or by judgment lien foreclosure
under chapter 550.
    (i) The lien may be imposed upon property defined as homestead property in chapter 510 but
may be enforced only upon the sale, transfer, or conveyance of the homestead property.
    (j) The commissioner may sell and assign to a third party the commissioner's right of
redemption in specific real property for liens filed under this subdivision. The assignee is limited
to the same rights of redemption as the commissioner, except that in a bankruptcy proceeding, the
assignee does not obtain the commissioner's priority. Any proceeds from the sale of the right of
redemption are credited to the contingent account.
    Subd. 2. Levy. (a) If any amount due under this chapter or section 116L.20, from an applicant
or an employer, is not paid when due, the amount may be collected by the commissioner by direct
levy upon all property and rights of property of the person liable for the amount due except that
exempt from execution under section 550.37. The term "levy" includes the power of distraint
and seizure by any means.
    (b) In addition to a direct levy, the commissioner may issue a warrant to the sheriff of
any county who shall proceed within 60 calendar days to levy upon the property or rights to
property of the delinquent person within the county, except that exempt under section 550.37.
The sheriff shall sell that property necessary to satisfy the total amount due, together with the
commissioner's and sheriff's costs. The sales are governed by the law applicable to sales of like
property on execution of a judgment.
    (c) Notice and demand for payment of the total amount due must be mailed to the delinquent
person at least ten calendar days before action being taken under paragraphs (a) and (b).
    (d) If the commissioner has reason to believe that collection of the amount due is in jeopardy,
notice and demand for immediate payment may be made. If the total amount due is not paid, the
commissioner may proceed to collect by direct levy or issue a warrant without regard to the ten
calendar day period.
    (e) In executing the levy, the commissioner shall have all of the powers provided in chapter
550 or any other law that provides for execution against property in this state. The sale of property
levied upon and the time and manner of redemption is as provided in chapter 550. The seal of the
court is not required. The levy may be made whether or not the commissioner has commenced a
legal action for collection.
    (f) Where any assessment has been made by the commissioner, the property seized for
collection of the total amount due must not be sold until any determination of liability has become
final. No sale may be made unless a portion of the amount due remains unpaid for a period of
more than 30 calendar days after the determination of liability becomes final. Seized property
may be sold at any time if:
    (1) the delinquent person consents in writing to the sale; or
    (2) the commissioner determines that the property is perishable or may become greatly
reduced in price or value by keeping, or that the property cannot be kept without great expense.
    (g) Where a levy has been made to collect the amount due and the property seized is
properly included in a formal proceeding commenced under sections 524.3-401 to 524.3-505 and
maintained under full supervision of the court, the property may not be sold until the probate
proceedings are completed or until the court orders.
    (h) The property seized must be returned if the owner:
    (1) gives a surety bond equal to the appraised value of the owner's interest in the property, as
determined by the commissioner, or
    (2) deposits with the commissioner security in a form and amount the commissioner
considers necessary to insure payment of the liability.
    (i) If a levy or sale would irreparably injure rights in property that the court determines
superior to rights of the state, the court may grant an injunction to prohibit the enforcement
of the levy or to prohibit the sale.
    (j) Any person who fails or refuses to surrender without reasonable cause any property or
rights to property subject to levy is personally liable in an amount equal to the value of the
property or rights not so surrendered, but not exceeding the amount due.
    (k) If the commissioner has seized the property of any individual, that individual may,
upon giving 48 hours notice to the commissioner and to the court, bring a claim for equitable
relief before the district court for the release of the property upon terms and conditions the court
considers equitable.
    (l) Any person in control or possession of property or rights to property upon which a levy
has been made who surrenders the property or rights to property, or who pays the amount due is
discharged from any obligation or liability to the person liable for the amount due with respect to
the property or rights to property.
    (m) The notice of any levy may be served personally or by mail.
    (n) The commissioner may release the levy upon all or part of the property or rights to
property levied upon if the commissioner determines that the release will facilitate the collection
of the liability, but the release does not prevent any subsequent levy. If the commissioner
determines that property has been wrongfully levied upon, the commissioner shall return:
    (1) the specific property levied upon, at any time; or
    (2) an amount of money equal to the amount of money levied upon, at any time before the
expiration of nine months from the date of levy.
    (o) Regardless of section 52.12, a levy upon a person's funds on deposit in a financial
institution located in this state, has priority over any unexercised right of setoff of the financial
institution to apply the levied funds toward the balance of an outstanding loan or loans owed
by the person to the financial institution. A claim by the financial institution that it exercised
its right to setoff before the levy must be substantiated by evidence of the date of the setoff,
and verified by an affidavit from a corporate officer of the financial institution. For purposes of
determining the priority of any levy under this subdivision, the levy is treated as if it were an
execution under chapter 550.
    Subd. 3. Right of setoff. (a) Upon certification by the commissioner to the commissioner of
finance, or to any state agency that disburses its own funds, that a person, applicant, or employer
has a liability under this chapter or section 116L.20, and that the state has purchased personal
services, supplies, contract services, or property from that person, the commissioner of finance
or the state agency shall set off and pay to the commissioner an amount sufficient to satisfy the
unpaid liability from funds appropriated for payment of the obligation of the state otherwise due
the person. No amount may be set off from any funds exempt under section 550.37 or funds due
an individual who receives assistance under chapter 256.
    (b) All funds, whether general or dedicated, are subject to setoff.
    Regardless of any law to the contrary, the commissioner has first priority to setoff from any
funds otherwise due from the department to a delinquent person.
    Subd. 4. Collection by civil action. (a) Any amount due under this chapter or section
116L.20, from an applicant or employer, may be collected by civil action in the name of the state
of Minnesota. Civil actions brought under this subdivision must be heard as provided under
section 16D.14. In any action, judgment must be entered in default for the relief demanded
in the complaint without proof, together with costs and disbursements, upon the filing of an
affidavit of default.
    (b) Any person that is not a resident of this state and any resident person removed from this
state, is considered to appoint the secretary of state as its agent for the acceptance of process in
any civil action. The commissioner shall file process with the secretary of state, together with a
payment of a fee of $15 and that service is considered sufficient service and has the same force
and validity as if served personally within this state. Notice of the service of process, together
with a copy of the process, must be sent by certified mail to the person's last known address.
An affidavit of compliance with this subdivision, and a copy of the notice of service must be
appended to the original of the process and filed in the court.
    (c) No court filing fees, docketing fees, or release of judgment fees may be assessed against
the state for actions under this subdivision.
    Subd. 5. Injunction forbidden. No injunction or other legal action to prevent the
determination, assessment, or collection of any amounts due under this chapter or section
116L.20, from an applicant or employer, are allowed.
History: 1Sp1982 c 1 s 36; 1983 c 372 s 40-44; 1985 c 281 s 1; 1Sp1985 c 14 art 9 s 75;
1986 c 444; 1Sp1986 c 3 art 1 s 82; 1987 c 385 s 31-34; 1989 c 209 art 2 s 1; 1991 c 291 art 18 s
1; 1992 c 484 s 14; 1993 c 67 s 12; 1993 c 137 s 8; 1994 c 483 s 1; 1994 c 488 s 7; 1995 c 54 s
16,17; 1996 c 417 s 25,31; 1997 c 66 s 67,79,80; 1998 c 265 s 44; 1999 c 107 s 33,66; 2000 c 343
s 4; 2001 c 195 art 2 s 10; 1Sp2003 c 3 art 2 s 20; 2004 c 183 s 38; 2007 c 128 art 6 s 41