(a) Within three days after an officer has levied an execution, the officer shall notify the person against whom the execution has issued that an execution has been levied, that certain property, if any, is exempt under sections 513.430 and 513.440, RSMo, and that the person has the right to hold the property as exempt from attachment and execution. The officer shall also generally state the there are certain exemptions under state and federal law that the judgment debtor may be able to claim with respect to the property levied upon and describe the procedure for claiming the property as exempt. The notice shall also inform the person against whom the execution issues of the manner in which the person may obtain a specific description of the property upon which the levy was made. The notice may be served in the same manner as a summons or by mailing the notice to the judgment debtor at the debtor’s last known address by regular mail. Service by mail shall be complete upon mailing.(b) The judgment debtor may claim any exemption by filing a verified request with the levying officer within twenty days after notice of the levy. Any exemption allowed by federal law may be claimed at any time prior to the sale of property or disbursement of funds. Upon receipt of a verified request, the levying officer shall notify the party requesting the execution forthwith that a claim of exemption has been filed. If the levy is in the form of a garnishment upon the judgment debtor’s wages, no such notification is required. The party requesting the execution may object to any claim for exemption within ten days of the filing of the verified request by filing a request for court review.(c) If a request for court review is not timely filed, the levying officer shall release from execution the items claimed as exempt by the judgment debtor. Regardless of whether a request for court review is timely filed and where the property involves a garnishment upon the judgment debtor’s wages, the levying officer shall release from execution the items claimed as exempt by the judgment debtor to the extent required by law at the time the claim for exemption is filed. If a request for court review is timely filed and the property does not involve a garnishment upon the judgment debtor’s wages, the exemption claim shall first be reviewed and determined by the court before the levying officer shall release the items claimed as exempt. Any hearing required by the court shall be expedited, shall be held not later than thirty days after the filing of the request for court review, and shall be held upon not less than three days’ notice of the hearing to all parties in interest.
