(a) If a court finds that any person is willfully using or has willfully used a method, act or practice declared unlawful by Section 39-5-20, the Attorney General, upon petition to the court, may recover on behalf of the State a civil penalty of not exceeding five thousand dollars per violation.
(b) Any person who violates the terms of an injunction issued under Section 39-5-50 shall forfeit and pay to the State a civil penalty of not more than fifteen thousand dollars per violation. For the purposes of this section, the court of common pleas issuing an injunction shall retain jurisdiction, and the cause shall be continued and in such cases the Attorney General acting in the name of the State may petition for recovery of civil penalties. Whenever the court determines that an injunction issued pursuant to Section 39-5-50 has been violated, the court shall award reasonable costs to the State.
(c) For the purposes of this section, a willful violation occurs when the party committing the violation knew or should have known that his conduct was a violation of Section 39-5-20.
HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 66-71.10; 1971 (57) 369.
Structure South Carolina Code of Laws
Chapter 5 - Unfair Trade Practices
Section 39-5-10. Short title; definitions.
Section 39-5-35. Requiring certain insurance coverage as unfair trade practice.
Section 39-5-36. Resale of tickets for more than original price.
Section 39-5-39. Attorney advertising in false, deceptive, or misleading manner.
Section 39-5-40. Article inapplicable to certain practices and transactions.
Section 39-5-42. Misrepresenting food or food products as product of South Carolina.
Section 39-5-50. Injunction; orders or judgments to restore property.
Section 39-5-60. Assurance of voluntary compliance with article.
Section 39-5-70. Investigative demand by Attorney General.
Section 39-5-80. Additional powers of Attorney General.
Section 39-5-90. Service of notice, demand, or subpoena.
Section 39-5-110. Civil penalties for willful violation or violations of injunction.
Section 39-5-120. Dissolution, suspension, or forfeiture.
Section 39-5-130. Duty of solicitors, county, and city attorneys.
Section 39-5-140. Actions for damages.
Section 39-5-145. Price gouging during emergency; definitions; penalty; evidence.
Section 39-5-147. Charitable solicitations during emergencies; penalty.
Section 39-5-149. Registration of agent to receive notification of state of emergency.
Section 39-5-150. Limitation of actions.
Section 39-5-160. Article is cumulative.
Section 39-5-170. Vehicle glass repair business; unlawful practices.
Section 39-5-180. Vehicle glass repairs; false claims.
Section 39-5-310. Definitions.
Section 39-5-320. Retail sale by wholesaler at wholesale price is an unfair trade practice.
Section 39-5-330. Retail sale at lower than wholesale price is an unfair trade practice.
Section 39-5-340. Liability of wholesaler.
Section 39-5-510. Definitions.
Section 39-5-520. Blind bidding prohibited; notice of trade screenings required.
Section 39-5-530. Contents of invitation to bid; examination of bids; rebids.
Section 39-5-540. Waiver of blind bidding prohibited.
Section 39-5-550. Applicability.
Section 39-5-710. Short title.