Nevada passed a law this year applying the charging lien remedy to stock in a multi-shareholder Nevada corporation. Charging liens are the creditor’s remedy to attack a debtor’s interests in limited partnerships and LLCs in most states In Florida, the charging lien is a creditor’s exclusive remedy against limited partnership interests and an optional, but non-exclusive, remedy against debtor’s Florida LLC interests. Prior to the Nevada law, no state had said that judgment creditors are restricted to a charging lien , instead of levy and sale, of a debtor’s stock in a corporation.
Does the Nevada statute provide an asset protection tool for Florida debtors? There are no cases on this brand new statute, but I think the likely answer is that a Florida creditor may levy upon a Florida debtor’s stock in a Nevada corporation notwithstanding the Nevada statute stating that creditors a limited to charging liens. A levy is an action against the debtor’s stock certificate and not against the corporation. A creditor does not have to make the corporation a party in a levy proceeding, and therefore, the forum of the corporation is not controlling on the Florida remedy. I think a Florida judge will be able to permit creditors to levy upon Nevada corporate stock.
Last updated on May 22, 2020