§480-13.5 Additional civil penalties for consumer frauds committed against elders. (a) If a person commits a violation under section 480-2 which is directed toward, targets, or injures an elder, a court, in addition to any other civil penalty, may impose a civil penalty not to exceed $10,000 for each violation.
(b) In determining the amount, if any, of civil penalty under subsection (a), the court shall consider the following:
(1) Whether the person's conduct was in wilful disregard of the rights of the elder;
(2) Whether the person knew or should have known that the person's conduct was directed toward or targeted an elder;
(3) Whether the elder was more vulnerable to the person's conduct than other consumers because of age, poor health, infirmity, impaired understanding, restricted mobility, or disability;
(4) The extent of injury, loss, or damages suffered by the elder; and
(5) Any other factors the court deems appropriate.
(c) As used in this chapter, "elder" means a consumer who is sixty-two years of age or older. [L 1998, c 179, §1]
Cross References
Some other actions or penalties for violations committed against elders, see § §28-94, 412:3-114.5, 444-10.7, 454-4.5, 480-13, 485A-603.5, 485A-604.5, and 487-14.
Case Notes
Where complaints alleged that credit card providers violated this section and § §480-2 and 481A-3 and unjust enrichment, the claims were not preempted by the National Bank Act. Also, because the complaints unambiguously disclaimed class status, the actions could not be removed under the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005. 761 F.3d 1027 (2014).
Discussed: 907 F. Supp. 2d 1188 (2012).
Structure Hawaii Revised Statutes
Title 26. Trade Regulation and Practice
480. Monopolies; Restraint of Trade
480-2 Unfair competition, practices, declared unlawful.
480-3.3 Endless chain schemes.
480-4 Combinations in restraint of trade, price-fixing and limitation of production prohibited.
480-5 Requirements and output contracts; tying agreements.
480-7 Mergers, acquisitions, holdings, and divestitures.
480-8 Interlocking directorates and relationships.
480-10 Exemption of labor organizations.
480-13 Suits by persons injured; amount of recovery, injunctions.
480-13.3 Class actions by private persons.
480-14 Suits by the State; amount of recovery.
480-15 Injunction by attorney general or the director of the office of consumer protection.
480-17 Individual liability for corporate or company act.
480-19 Additional parties defendant.
480-20 Duty of the attorney general; duty of county attorney, etc.
480-22 Judgment in favor of the State as evidence in private action; suspension of limitation.
480-23 Immunity from prosecution.