My partner and I live together in a home she purchased three years ago. A cat of ours got us in trouble with a neighbor, and Panama City Beach animal control ticketed us because the animal was not under our immediate control.
We were unable to pay the $100.00 fine until after the due date. We BOTH received notice that a lien plus accruing interest was placed on her house.
My name is not on any property, even though the lien states I am an owner. The original citation was written with her name OR my name as the defendant.
She did send in the fine, albiet 10 days late, and a few days later we received the money order back from the Clerk of the Court with a letter stating we owed $2,215.00 in fines--we got that letter on the same day we received the lien notice via regular mail.
This house is her homestead.
1. Is this lien legal because it is her homestead?
2. Since I am not an owner of real property, will this affect me directly
any way?
3. Would it be appropriate to file a Contest of Lien with the court clerk?
4. If this lien is illegal, how do we get it removed?
Our income is barely enough to cover the cost of living, so finding an attorney to represent us on our budget is pretty much out of the question at this point...
Thanks for any advice you or your readers may be able to provide.
Steve Michaels |