The purpose of this chapter is to provide a civil remedy for damages to persons in a community injured by an individual's use of illegal Controlled I substances. It establishes a cause of action against drug dealers for damages for monetary, noneconomic, and physical losses incurred as a result of an individual's use of an illegal controlled substance. This chapter will shift the cost of the damage caused by the marketing of illegal drugs to those who illegally profit from that market, as well as deter others from entering the illegal drug market by subjecting them to substantial monetary loss. This chapter will also provide an incentive for individual users to identify illegal drug marketers and recover from them the costs of their own drug treatment.
HISTORY: 1999 Act No. 62, Section 1.
Structure South Carolina Code of Laws
Chapter 54 - Drug Dealer Liability Act
Section 44-54-10. Short title.
Section 44-54-30. Definitions.
Section 44-54-50. Actions by individual users; damages recoverable.
Section 44-54-60. Assignment of cause of action.
Section 44-54-70. Responsibility for damages; level of offense.
Section 44-54-80. Multiple parties to action; relief according to respective liabilities.
Section 44-54-90. Joinder of claims and persons; recovery against person joined.
Section 44-54-100. Standard of proof; effect of conviction for distribution of controlled substance.
Section 44-54-110. Defenses; liability of law enforcement officer or agency.
Section 44-54-120. Seizure of property; injunctions.
Section 44-54-130. Prescription of cause of action
Section 44-54-140. Continuance pending completion of criminal investigation.