Unless the provision or context otherwise requires, the definitions in this chapter govern the construction of this division.
§ 720.010.Generally
Title 9. Enforcement of Judgments · Division 4 · Chapter 1. Definitions · Enacted 1982 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 720.010 provides that the definitions set out in this chapter govern how Division 4 is read and applied, unless a particular provision or context requires otherwise.
Full Text of § 720.010
Plain-English Summary
This section is a short interpretive rule rather than a substantive one. It tells a reader that whatever terms Chapter 1 defines carry that same meaning everywhere in Division 4 — the third-party claims scheme this batch introduces — unless a specific provision or context calls for something different.
The two definitions that follow, "creditor" in § 720.020 and "debtor" in § 720.030, are the terms this rule is really protecting: they let the rest of Division 4 speak generically about the parties to an enforcement or provisional-remedy proceeding without repeating "judgment creditor or plaintiff" and "judgment debtor or defendant" throughout.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this section do?
It sets the interpretive rule that the definitions in Chapter 1 govern the rest of Division 4, unless a specific provision or context requires a different reading.
Which definitions does this rule protect?
Primarily "creditor" and "debtor," defined in §§ 720.020 and 720.030, which recur throughout Division 4's third-party claim procedures.
Amendment History
Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1364, Sec. 2. Operative July 1, 1983, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 1364.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 28, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: division 4 definitions californiathird party claim definitions california