(a) The application to dissolve a vessel lien may be in the following form:

To ...., a judge of the Superior Court for the judicial district of ....

The undersigned, .... of the town (or city) of .... in the county of .... and judicial district of ...., is the owner (or has the following legal or equitable interest: ....) of the following vessel, .... (description of vessel).

Such vessel is now held by .... of the town (or city) of ...., in the county of .... under a claim of lien for .... and that he is desirous that such lien be dissolved upon the substitution of a bond, with sufficient surety, according to the statute.

Dated at .... this .... day of ...., 20...

(The claimant) ....

(b) If the lien is dissolved, the person who claimed the lien shall bring a complaint in the court with jurisdiction setting forth the amount and basis of the claim. The person who caused the lien to be dissolved shall have thirty days after the writ is returnable to the court where the action is brought to file an affidavit with such court controverting the material allegations contained in the complaint and affidavit that he has a valid defense. The issues so raised shall be tried as all other issues in such court. If the person who has caused the lien to be dissolved does not file such affidavit, the bond shall be forfeited to the lienor.

(1969, P.A. 818, S. 4, 5; P.A. 73-616, S. 37; P.A. 74-183, S. 273, 291; 74-338, S. 15, 94; P.A. 76-436, S. 236, 681; P.A. 78-280, S. 64, 127.)

History: P.A. 73-616 made technical correction in Subsec. (b), substituting “writ” for “date”; P.A. 74-183 replaced circuit court with court of common pleas and “circuit” with “county”, effective December 31, 1974; P.A. 74-338 substituted “lien” for “bond” for conformity with other references in Subsec. (b); P.A. 76-436 deleted reference to judges of common pleas court in application form, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 78-280 substituted “judicial district” for “county” or added reference to judicial districts in conjunction with reference to counties as necessary; (Revisor's note: In 2001 the reference in Subsec. (a) of this section to the date “19..” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “20..” to reflect the new millennium).