§33-44-13. Enforcement of foreign decrees.

(a) The commissioner may proceed in the courts of this state, any reciprocal state or any other state to enforce an order or decision in any court proceeding or in any administrative proceeding before the commissioner.

(b) The commissioner shall determine which states and territories qualify as reciprocal states.

(c) A certified copy of any foreign decree may be filed in the office of the clerk of any circuit court of this state. The clerk of the circuit court, upon verifying with the commissioner that the decree or order qualified as a foreign decree, shall treat the foreign decree in the same manner as a decree of a circuit court of this state. A foreign decree, so filed, has the same effect and is considered as a decree of a circuit court of this state, and is subject to the same procedures, defenses and proceedings for reopening, vacating or staying a decree of a circuit court of this state and may be enforced or satisfied in like manner.

(d) At the time of the filing of the foreign decree, counsel for the commissioner shall make and file with the clerk of the circuit court an affidavit setting forth the name and last known post office address of the defendant. Promptly upon the filing of the foreign decree and the affidavit, the clerk of the circuit court shall mail notice of the filing of the foreign decree to the defendant at the address given and to the commissioner and shall make a note of the mailing in the docket. In addition, counsel for the commissioner may mail a notice of the filing of the foreign decree to the defendant and to the commissioner and may file proof of mailing with the clerk of the circuit court. Lack of mailing notice of filing by the clerk of the circuit court may not affect the enforcement proceedings if proof of mailing by the counsel for the commissioner has been filed. No execution or other process for enforcement of a foreign decree filing under this section may issue until thirty days after the date the decree is filed.

(e) If the defendant shows the circuit court:

(1) That an appeal from the foreign decree is pending or will be taken, or that a stay of execution has been granted, the court shall stay enforcement of the foreign decree until the appeal is concluded, the time for appeal expires or the stay of execution expires or is vacated upon proof that the defendant has furnished the security for the satisfaction of the decree required by the state in which it was rendered.

(2) Any ground upon which enforcement of a decree of any circuit court of this state would be stayed, the court may stay enforcement of the foreign decree.

(f) Any person filing a foreign decree shall pay to the clerk of the circuit court such fees as are required by law.