§337.60.  Sale of distrained property

A.  After notifying all reasonably ascertainable interested third parties, the collector or his authorized assistants shall sell at public auction for cash to the highest bidder so much of the property distrained by him as may be sufficient to satisfy the tax, penalties, interest, and costs due.  The property shall not be sold if the price to the highest bidder is less than two-thirds of the appraised value.  In that case, the collector shall readvertise the sale of the property in the same manner as the original sale, and the same delays must elapse.  At the second offering, the property shall be sold for cash at whatever price it will bring.  He shall give to the purchaser a certificate of sale which will be prima facie evidence of the right of the collector to make the sale, and conclusive evidence of the regularity of his proceedings in making the sale, and which will transfer to the purchaser merchantable title in and to the property sold.

B.  The purchaser shall be liable for nothing beyond the purchase price.  He shall pay the full purchase price to the collector despite the existence of any mortgage, lien, or privilege on the property inferior in rank to that of the taxing authorities.

C.  The collector shall give the purchaser a release from the security interest, mortgage, lien, or privilege of the taxing authorities and from all inferior security interests, mortgages, liens, and privileges, and shall direct the recorder of mortgages or proper filing officer to cancel their inscriptions insofar as they affect the property sold, and no further.  All writings affecting the property which were recorded prior to distraint of the property shall not be affected by the sale of the property by the collector pursuant to this Chapter.

D.  The collector shall pay or cause to be paid the inferior security interests, mortgages, liens, and privileges, after payment of the costs and the amount due the taxing authorities.  When the sum remaining after payment of the cost and the amount due the taxing authorities is insufficient to pay such inferior claims in full, the collector shall deposit the remainder with the court and proceed by contradictory motion against the inferior creditors to have their claims referred to in the proceeds of the sale.

Acts 2003, No. 73, §1, eff. July 1, 2003.