§ 38-25-570 — Enforcement of foreign decrees.

(a) The Attorney General upon request of the director or his designee may proceed in the courts of this State or any reciprocal state to enforce an order or decision in any court proceeding or in any administrative proceeding before the director or his designee. (b) As used in this section: (1) "Reciprocal state" means any state or territory of the United States the laws of which contain procedures substantially similar to those specified in this section for the enforcement of decrees or orders in equity issued by courts located in other states or territories of the United States against an insurer incorporated or authorized to do business in that state or territory. (2) "Foreign decree" means any decree or order in equity of a court located in a reciprocal state, including a court of the United States located therein, against any insurer incorporated or authorized to do business in this State. (3) "Qualified party" means a state regulatory agency acting in its capacity to enforce the insurance laws of its state. (c) The director or his designee shall determine which states and territories qualify as reciprocal states and shall maintain an up-to-date list of these states. (d) A copy of any foreign decree authenticated in accordance with the law of this State may be filed in the office of the clerk of court of any circuit court of this State. The clerk, upon verifying with the department that the decree or order qualifies as a foreign decree, shall treat the foreign decree in the same manner as a decree of a circuit court of this State. A foreign decree so filed has the same effect as a decree of a circuit court of this State and is subject to the same procedures, defenses, and proceedings for reopening, vacating, or staying as a decree of a circuit court of this State and may be enforced or satisfied in like manner. (e)(1) At the time of the filing of the foreign decree, the Attorney General shall make and file with the clerk of court an affidavit setting forth the name and last known post office address of the defendant. (2) Promptly upon the filing of the foreign decree and the affidavit, the clerk shall mail notice of the filing of the foreign decree to the defendant at the address given and to the department and shall make a note of the mailing in the docket. In addition, the Attorney General may mail a notice of the filing of the foreign decree to the defendant and to the department and may file proof of mailing with the clerk. Failure to mail notice of the filing by the clerk does not affect the enforcement proceedings if proof of mailing by the Attorney General has been filed. (3) No execution or other process for enforcement of a foreign decree filed hereunder may issue for thirty days after the date the decree is filed. (f)(1) If the defendant shows the circuit court that an appeal from the foreign decree is pending or will be taken, or that a stay of execution has been granted, the court shall stay enforcement of the foreign decree until the appeal is concluded, the time for appeal expires, or the stay of execution expires or is vacated, upon proof that the defendant has furnished the security for the satisfaction of the decree required by the state in which it was rendered. (2) If the defendant shows the circuit court any ground upon which enforcement of a decree of any circuit court of this State would be stayed, the court shall stay enforcement of the foreign decree for an appropriate period, upon requiring the same security for satisfaction of the decree which is required in this State. (g) Any person filing a foreign decree shall pay to the clerk of court fifteen dollars. Fees for docketing, transcription, or other enforcement proceedings are as provided for decrees of the circuit court.

Legislative History

HISTORY: Former 1976 Code SECTION 38-53-70 [1975 (59) 127] recodified as SECTION 38-25-570 by 1987 Act No. 155, SECTION 1; 1993 Act No. 181, SECTION 607.