§ 813 Action for refusal to pay over money - Amount liable for.

If a sheriff, other officer, or court clerk collects money for someone and then refuses to hand it over, the law only lets them be held responsible for the actual amount they kept. They can't be forced to pay more than what they withheld, even if the person suing them tries to claim additional damages.

This rule protects officers and clerks from facing bigger financial penalties than the actual money in dispute. For example, if an officer collected $500 for someone but refused to pay it over, that officer can only be held liable for that $500, not some larger amount. This keeps the punishment tied directly to the actual harm caused.