Michigan § 600.6119 - Transfer of property by third party; prohibition; violation; contempt; liability; transfer of property apparently belonging to others; duration of restraint.

When a third party having in his or its possession property or moneys belonging to the judgment debtor or who is indebted to the judgment debtor is subpoenaed or ordered to attend and be examined as authorized in this chapter, such third party is hereby forbidden to make or suffer any transfer or other disposition of, or to interfere with, any property belonging to the judgment debtor or to which he may be entitled or which may thereafter be acquired by or become due to said judgment debtor, or to pay over or otherwise dispose of any moneys due or to become due to such judgment debtor, not exempt by law from application to the satisfaction of the judgment, until the further order of the court except that such third party is not obliged to withhold the payment of any moneys beyond double the amount claimed in such subpoena by the judgment creditor. To effect such restraining provision, a copy of this section must be indorsed on or attached to the copy of the subpoena or order served on the third party.

Any person served with said subpoena or order, who violates the provisions of such restraining provision, is subject to punishment by the court for contempt, and is liable to the judgment creditor for any damages sustained.

The restraining effect of a subpoena served upon a third party shall not, however, apply to any property, money or indebtedness which appears from the books or records of the third party to belong to or to be due to a person or corporation other than the judgment debtor, unless the third party has knowledge or reason to believe that such property, money or indebtedness belongs to or is due to the judgment debtor; but the court may by order at any stage of the proceeding grant a restraining provision applicable to any such property, money or indebtedness, which is specified in the order, where it is shown to the court's satisfaction by affidavit or other written proof that there is reason to believe that such property, money or indebtedness belongs to or is due to the judgment debtor.

Unless previously vacated by order of the court or unless released in writing filed in the cause by the judgment creditor, a restraining provision as herein provided shall remain in full force and effect for a period of 2 years from the date of the service of the subpoena, at which time it is deemed vacated for all purposes unless extended by order of the court for good cause shown.