Short answer. Yes. Anyone owing debts to, or holding property of, the party whose property is attached may be required to attend before the court or a court-appointed commissioner and be examined on oath, and the attached party can likewise be required to attend and be examined about their property.

What the law says

Any person owing debts to the party whose property is attached or having in his possession or under his control any credit or other personal property belonging to such party, may be required to attend before the court in which the action is pending, or before a commissioner appointed by the court, and be examined on oath respecting the same. The party whose property is attached may also be required to attend for the purpose of giving information respecting his property, and may be examined on oath. The court may, after such examination, order personal property capable of manual delivery belonging to him, in the possession of the person so required to attend before the court, to be delivered to the clerk of the court or sheriff on such terms as may be just, having reference to any lien thereon or claim against the same, to await the judgment in the action.

Rule 57, Section 10 — Examination of party whose property is attached and persons indebted to him or controlling his property; delivery of property to sheriff. Read the full provision →

Two categories of people can be examined

Rule 57, Section 10 allows two distinct groups to be summoned for examination under oath: anyone who owes a debt to, or holds property or credit belonging to, the party whose property was attached, and the attached party themselves. Both can be required to attend either before the court hearing the action or before a commissioner the court appoints for that purpose. The examining court is not limited to written interrogatories — the person summoned appears in person and answers under oath, which allows follow-up questions and reduces the chance that assets or debts go unmentioned simply because no one thought to ask about them in writing beforehand.

The purpose is to locate attachable property

This examination mechanism exists because an attaching party or the court may not know the full extent of the attached party's assets, or exactly what a third party is holding on the attached party's behalf. Sworn testimony lets the court uncover property and debts that were not otherwise disclosed or apparent. This tool matters most where the debtor has moved assets out of their own name, where a third party owes money that has not yet fallen due, or where property is held under an arrangement the attaching creditor would have no other way of discovering, since ordinary investigation outside the courtroom may simply fail to reveal these hidden or contingent interests.

The court can order property surrendered on the spot

After the examination, the court may order that any personal property capable of manual delivery belonging to the attached party, and found in the possession of the examined person, be delivered to the clerk of court or the sheriff. This delivery is made on terms the court considers just, taking into account any existing lien or claim against that property, and the property is held to await the judgment in the case.

Related provisions

Note. Statute text quoted on this page is reproduced from the official enactment and is linked to the full provision. The explanation around it is general legal information from Vivas & Nobles Law Office, not legal advice. Whether it applies to your situation depends on facts only a lawyer reviewing them can assess.