When any property taken on a writ of attachment or received by the officer from any garnishee including actions appealed to the court, shall be likely to depreciate in value before the end of the action or the keeping thereof shall be attended with much loss or expense the court or a judge may order it sold in such manner as the best interests of the parties demand, and the money realized shall be held by the officer in lieu of the property sold.
811.14.Sale of perishable property attached or garnisheed.
Ch. 811: Attachment · Last amended 1993 · Last verified July 15, 2026
In one sentenceSection 811.14 lets a court or judge order the sale of attached or garnisheed property that is likely to lose value before the case ends, or that costs too much to keep, with the sale proceeds held by the officer in place of the property itself.
Full Text of Section 811.14
Plain-English Summary
Not all seized property can sit in storage until a case is over. Section 811.14 addresses property taken on a writ of attachment, or received by the officer from a garnishee — including in actions that have been appealed — that is likely to depreciate in value before the action ends, or that would be expensive or wasteful to keep in its original form.
In that situation, the court or a judge may order the property sold, in whatever manner best serves the parties’ interests. The sale does not end the attachment’s protection; it just changes its form. The money the sale brings in stands in for the property, held by the officer the same way the property itself would have been held.
This keeps the value at stake in the case from eroding through spoilage, storage costs, or upkeep, while preserving the same security for whoever ultimately wins the case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can attached property be sold before the case is decided?
Yes, if the court or a judge finds it likely to depreciate in value before the action ends, or that keeping it would involve much loss or expense.
Does this section apply to property received from a garnishee, or only property directly attached?
Both. Section 811.14 covers property taken on a writ of attachment and property received by the officer from any garnishee, including in appealed actions.
What happens to the money from a sale ordered under this section?
The officer holds the money realized from the sale in lieu of the property that was sold.
Who decides how the sale should be conducted?
The court or a judge, who orders the sale in the manner that best serves the interests of the parties.
Does selling the property end the case’s claim to its value?
No. The proceeds take the place of the property, held by the officer to answer the case the same way the original property would have.
Amendment History
History: Sup. Ct. Order, 67 Wis. 2d 585, 758 (1975); Stats. 1975 s. 811.14; 1993 a. 213.
Source & verification. Section text and official notes are
reproduced verbatim from the Wisconsin Statutes, published by the
Wisconsin Legislature (Legislative Reference Bureau). Last verified July 15, 2026.
· Official source
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