Section 48-5-161. Issue of execution; execution docket; levy administration fee; collection; inspection by grand jury

   (a) Each tax collector or tax commissioner shall keep an execution docket. On December 20 in each year, unless further time is allowed as provided by law, he shall issue execution against each delinquent or defaulting taxpayer in his county and enter the names of delinquent or defaulting taxpayers on the docket together with an itemized statement of the taxes covered by the execution.

(b) When executions have been issued, it shall be the duty of the officer issuing the execution to place the execution in the hands of an officer authorized by law to collect the execution and make an entry on his execution docket of the name of the officer and the date of delivery.

(c) (1) The officer in whose hands the execution is placed shall proceed at once to collect the execution and, when the execution is paid by the defendant voluntarily or by levy and sale, the officer shall enter the amount collected including all costs, commissions, interest, and penalties as provided by law on the execution. The officer shall return the execution to the tax collector or tax commissioner with the amount of tax collected. The tax collector or tax commissioner shall at once copy the entry of the officer on his or her execution docket and file the execution in his or her office.

   (2) (A) As used in this paragraph, the term "costs" includes, but is not limited to, title examination expenses, certified mail expenses, reasonable attorney's fees, or other such necessary research expenses.

      (B) Once an execution is issued against a delinquent or defaulting taxpayer, the sheriff or ex officio sheriff shall collect, in addition to any other costs, commissions, interest, and penalties, the actual expenses incurred by the county in issuing the execution and administering the levy by imposing a levy administration fee which shall be 5 percent of the delinquent tax or $250.00, whichever is the lesser. Regardless of any other provision of this paragraph, however, no such levy administration fee shall be less than $50.00.

   (3) The levy administration fee provided by paragraph (2) of this subsection shall likewise be charged and collected when the execution is enforced through garnishment as provided for in Code Section 48-3-12.

(d) Each tax collector or tax commissioner shall submit his respective execution docket and cashbook to the grand jury at the spring term of the superior court of his county. It shall be the duty of the grand jury to inspect thoroughly the docket and book and to report on them by general or special presentment.

Ga. L. 1884-85, p. 66, §§ 2-5; Civil Code 1895, §§ 962, 963, 964, 965; Civil Code 1910, §§ 1229, 1230, 1231, 1232; Code 1933, §§ 92-5102, 92-5103, 92-5104, 92-5105; Code 1933, § 91A-1361, enacted by Ga. L. 1978, p. 309, § 2; Ga. L. 1981, p. 1857, § 19; Ga. L. 1982, p. 1114, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1983, p. 575, § 1; Ga. L. 1987, p. 965, § 1; Ga. L. 1990, p. 1324, § 7; Ga. L. 2009, p. 216, § 2B/SB 240.