(a) Whenever the attorney general has reason to believe that any person is using, has used, or is about to use any method, act, or practice declared to be unlawful by § 6-13.1-2, and that proceedings would be in the public interest, the attorney general may bring an action in the name of the state against the person to restrain by temporary or permanent injunction the use of the method, act, or practice, upon the giving of appropriate notice to that person and to seek any other relief that may be appropriate.
(b) The action may be brought in the superior court of the county in which the person shall dwell or be found; or have his or her principal place of business; or with consent of the parties; or if the person is a nonresident or has no principal place of business within this state or if the superior court shall not be in session in the counties previously said to be applicable, may be brought in the superior court of Providence County. The superior courts are authorized to issue temporary or permanent injunctions to restrain and prevent violations of this chapter and the injunctions shall be issued without bond.
(c) The court may make any additional orders or judgments that may be necessary to restore to any person in interest any moneys or property, real or personal, that may have been acquired by means of any practice in this chapter declared to be unlawful, including the appointment of a receiver in any case where the superior court finds that the assets of a corporation are in danger of being misapplied, dissipated, wasted, or lost, or the revocation of a license or certificate authorizing that person to engage in business in this state, or both.
(d) Actions under this chapter may be brought without regard to the pendency of criminal proceedings arising out of the same acts or practices and no action shall bar the institution of criminal proceedings arising out of the same acts or practices. No involuntary admission by any person in the action shall be admissible in any subsequent criminal proceeding.
(e) Any person who violates the terms of an injunction issued under this section shall forfeit and pay to the state a civil penalty of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per violation. For the purposes of this section, the superior court of a county issuing an injunction shall retain jurisdiction, and the cause shall be continued, and in those cases the attorney general, acting in the name of the state, may petition for recovery of civil penalties and damages.
History of Section.
P.L. 1968, ch. 12, § 1; P.L. 1970, ch. 249, § 2; P.L. 2014, ch. 528, § 10; P.L. 2021, ch. 206, § 1, effective July 7, 2021; P.L. 2021, ch. 329, § 1, effective July 9, 2021.