30:4-80.6 Discharge of liens, certain.

6. a. Upon the request of a person treated at a psychiatric facility as defined in section 2 of P.L.1987, c.116 (C.30:4-27.2), or that person's legally responsible relative, against whom a lien was recorded prior to the effective date of P.L.2005, c.55, the Department of Human Services shall arrange for the discharge of the lien by the clerk of the county, register of deeds and mortgages or clerk of the Superior Court, as the case may be. No fee shall be charged by the clerk of the county, register of deeds and mortgages or clerk of the Superior Court for the removal of a lien pursuant to this section.

b. To discharge any lien or liens filed hereunder, the chief executive officer of the institution claiming the lien or his duly constituted agent shall file with the clerk of the county, register of deeds and mortgages or clerk of the Superior Court, as the case may be, a duly acknowledged certificate setting forth the fact that the institution desires to discharge the lien of record.

c. In the case of any lien not covered by the provisions of subsection a. of this section, the Commissioner of Human Services is hereby authorized to compromise for settlement any lien filed under the provisions of this act for the maintenance of any patient. A memorandum of the compromise and settlement shall be entered in the records of the institution affected thereby and shall be sufficient authorization for a complete discharge of the lien.

L.1938,c.239,s.6; amended 1947, c.274, s.4; 1953, c.29, s.38; 1965, c.59, s.65; 2005, c.55, s.9.