§55-14-2. Filing and status of foreign judgments.

A copy of any foreign judgment authenticated in accordance with an act of Congress or the statutes of this state may be filed in the office of the clerk of any circuit court of this state. The clerk shall treat the foreign judgment in the same manner as a judgment of any circuit court of this state. A judgment so filed has the same effect and is subject to the same procedures, defenses and proceedings for reopening, vacating or staying as a judgment of a circuit court of this state and may be enforced or satisfied in like manner: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of this article to the contrary, a citizen of this state shall be entitled to the same exemption from execution, attachment or seizure and sale as a citizen of the state where the original judgment was entered. A debt collector seeking to enforce a foreign judgment in this state shall ensure that any suggestee execution or other legal process seeking to seize property of a debtor pursuant to a foreign judgment shall clearly state, on the face of the petition or other filing, any property exempt in the state in which the original judgment was entered and it shall specify that the property is exempt from execution, attachment or seizure and sale in this state. Any person seeking to enforce a foreign judgment in this state who violates any provision of this section shall be liable to the person against whom the judgment is sought to be enforced for actual damages and, in addition thereto, shall be liable to such person for a penalty in an amount not more than $1,000. Any person seeking to enforce a foreign judgment in this state who willfully violates any provision of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $1,000 or confined in jail not more than one year, or both fined and confined.