When funds are subject to competing claims by parties to an action, the court may order the party in possession of funds to deposit in an interest accruing account.

• A. The court may order deposit into an interest-accruing account
• B. Funds must always be returned to the plaintiff
• C. The funds must be deposited with the clerk without interest
• D. No deposit is allowed

Answer: (A)

When money in dispute is claimed by more than one party, the court has the power to safeguard those funds by ordering the party who holds them to place them into an interest-bearing account. This protects the funds from loss or improper use while the claims are sorted out and, importantly, allows the money to continue to earn interest so that the eventual distribution to the rightful claimant isn’t diminished.

This arrangement aligns with maintaining value during litigation and ensures that the funds remain readily available for distribution once the court determines who is entitled. Returning the money to one side or keeping it in a non-interest-bearing spot would not preserve the financial value as effectively, whereas an interest-accruing account directly fulfills the protection and preservation goals the court is seeking in a dispute with competing claims.