Terms Used In Florida Statutes 509.407

  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
  • Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
The officer of the court to whom a final judgment writ of distress is directed shall execute the writ of distress by service on defendant and by levy on property distrainable for services rendered, if found within the area of the officer’s jurisdiction. If the property is not so found but is in another jurisdiction, the officer shall deliver the writ to the proper authority in the other jurisdiction. The writ shall be executed by levying on such property and delivering it to the officer of the court in which the action is pending, to be disposed of according to law, unless the officer is ordered by such court to hold the property and dispose of it according to law. If the defendant cannot be found, the levy on the property suffices as service if the plaintiff and the officer each file a sworn statement stating that the whereabouts of the defendant are unknown.