Source: http://www.carnahanlaw.com/service-members-civil-relief-act-scra-of-2003/
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 16:12:47
Document Index: 132444311

Matched Legal Cases: ['§\u2009501', '§538', '§522', '§523', '§527', '§533', '§561', '§570', '§596']

Service members Civil Relief Act (SCRA) of 2003 - carnahanlaw
The SCRA 50 App. U.S.C. §§ 501-596, replaced the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Act of 1940. Section 502 sets out the act’s express purpose:
The SCRA applies where there is any adverse action against an active member of the armed services or their dependents on multiple topics and protects any “service member” during their period of military service. Generally this means any member of the uniformed services while on active duty, including Reserve and National Guard troops while on orders in active status.
A service member’s dependents are covered if they are materially affected by their sponsor’s military service. Dependents include a spouse, children or any person that the service member provides at least half of their support for 180 days prior to a claim for relief under the act, §538.
Section 521 prohibits entry of default judgments against a covered service member unless an attorney is appointed first, including child custody cases. The act does not address who pays for the appointed attorney. If counsel cannot contact the service member, the court must enter an automatic 90 day stay of proceedings. If the service member has received notice of an action, they can receive an automatic stay of proceedings anyway if they can explain why they cannot appear, and provide the court a letter from their commanding officer explaining why the member cannot appear (§522). A court must open the judgment on a petition by the service member (during service period or 60 days after termination or release) if a default judgment is entered against an active duty service member and no attorney was appointed. Vacation of a default judgment does not impair the rights of a bona fide purchaser for value.
prohibition of penalties under a contract if performance of military service prevented performance of the obligation, §523(a)
interest limited to 6% (subject to court determination that service does not impair ability to pay rate exceeding 6%), acceleration of principal prohibited, §527
mortgage and lien holders may not repossess the property of service members without court approval, and the court may “adjust the obligation”, §533
municipalities and state entities are prohibited from taking action on property tax liens on service- members, and providing for redemption up to 180 days after termination or release from service, §561
deferring collection of income taxes, §570
limiting availability of non-business assets for personal liability for business liabilities, §596