§ 680.170.Deposit Account

Bank accounts are, for most judgment creditors, the first place to look for collectible assets, and this section supplies the precise definition of what counts as a deposit account for enforcement purposes -- borrowed directly from the Commercial Code's definition covering checking, savings, and similar accounts held at a bank or similar institution.

Pinning the definition down matters because levying on a deposit account triggers a specific set of procedures under the Enforcement of Judgments Law, including special service rules for financial institutions under § 684.115 and the institution's own duties once a levy is served. Getting the category right at the outset -- distinguishing a deposit account from, say, a certificate of deposit treated as an instrument -- affects which procedure applies.