Sec. 28.055. JUDGMENT NOT CLAIMED BY PLAINTIFF

(a) If a defendant has not paid a judgment in favor of the plaintiff and the plaintiff's whereabouts are unknown, the defendant shall use due diligence to locate the plaintiff. The defendant must send a letter by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the plaintiff's last known address and to the address appearing in the plaintiff's statement of his claim or other court record.

(b) If the plaintiff is not located after the use of due diligence, the defendant may pay to the court the amount owed under the judgment. The judge shall immediately execute a release of the judgment on behalf of the plaintiff and deliver the release to the defendant.

(c) The amount paid to the court is held in trust for the plaintiff, and at least once a month the court shall pay those trust funds to the county clerk. The clerk shall deposit the trust funds in the county clerk's trust fund account in the county treasury. The funds shall be deposited, and may be withdrawn, in the same manner as trust funds deposited in district or county court to abide the result of a legal proceeding.

Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.