§ 35-11-233 — Assignment of Lien; Transfer of Lien on Real Property to Other Security

(a) Any claim for which a lien is provided in this division may be assigned; and the assignee shall thereby be invested with all the rights of the original holder of the lien, and be entitled to all his remedies to enforce them. The assignee shall have the right to consolidate all such claims in one statement to be filed as herein provided; and the length of time for the filing of said claim shall be measured by the greatest length of time for the filing of any class of claims held by the assignee.
(b) Any lien claimed on real property under this division may be transferred by any person having an interest in the real property upon which the lien is imposed or the contract under which the lien is claimed, from such real property to other security by first filing with the court in which the action is brought, a copy of the lien which has been duly filed and recorded as required by law, and by either:
(1) Depositing with the court in which the action is brought a sum of money; or
(2) Filing with the court a bond executed as surety by a surety insurer licensed to do business in this state, either of which shall be in an amount equal to the amount demanded in such claim of lien plus interest thereon at eight percent per year for three years plus $100.00 to apply on any court costs which may be taxed in any proceeding to enforce said lien.
Such deposit or bond shall be conditioned to pay any judgment or decree which may be rendered for the satisfaction of the lien for which such claim of lien was recorded and costs not to exceed $100.00. Upon making such deposit or filing such bond the court shall make and record a certificate showing the transfer of the lien from the real property to the security and mail a copy thereof by registered or certified mail to the lienor named in the claim of lien so transferred at the address stated therein. Within 10 days from the date of the receipt of the said certificate, the lienor may by motion, petition the court in which the action is pending for a hearing on the sufficiency of the amount in question or on the qualifications of the surety insurer. In such an event, the ruling of the court on the said motion, shall be a final determination. Upon the expiration of the said 10 days, or in the event a petition has been filed with the court, upon the determination of the court, and upon filing the certificate of transfer in the court where the lien was filed, the real property shall thereupon be released from the lien claimed and such lien shall be transferred to said security. The court shall be entitled to a fee for making and serving the certificate in the sum of $2.00. Any number of liens may be transferred to one such security.
(c) Any excess of the security over the aggregate amount of any judgments or decrees rendered plus costs actually taxed shall be repaid to the party filing the same or his successor in interest. Any deposit of money shall be considered as paid into court and shall be subject to the provisions of law relative to payments of money into court and the disposition of same.
(d) Any party having an interest in such security or the property from which the lien was transferred may at any time, and any number of times, file a complaint in the circuit court of the county where such security is deposited for an order to require additional security, reduction of security, change or substitution of sureties, payment or discharge thereof, or any other matter affecting said security.
(e) If no proceeding to enforce a transferred lien shall be commenced within the time specified, or if it appears that the transferred lien has been satisfied of record, the court shall return said security upon request of the person depositing or filing the same, or the insurer.

Legislative History

(Code 1886, §3047; Code 1896, §2752; Code 1907, §4783; Code 1923, §8861; Code 1940, T. 33, §64; Acts 1980, No. 80-757, p. 1581.)