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Current as of January 01, 2025 | Updated by Findlaw Staff
(a) A person, firm, partnership, association, or corporation violating subdivision (a) of Section 6152 is punishable, upon a first conviction, by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year or by a fine not exceeding fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000), or by both that imprisonment and fine. Upon a second or subsequent conviction, a person, firm, partnership, association, or corporation is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, or by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for two, three, or four years, or by a fine not exceeding fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000), or by both that imprisonment and fine.
(b) A person employed either as an officer, director, trustee, clerk, servant or agent of this state or of any county or other municipal corporation or subdivision thereof, who is found guilty of violating any of the provisions of this article, shall forfeit the right to their office and employment in addition to any other penalty provided in this article.
(c) Any person may bring a civil action for a violation of subdivision (a) of Section 6152 for the following remedies:
(1) Statutory damages of a minimum of five thousand dollars ($5,000) up to a maximum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) per violation, or three times the amount of actual damages, whichever is larger. The amount of statutory damages in this subdivision shall be determined pursuant to subdivision (d).
(2) Attorney's fees.
(3) Injunctive or declaratory relief.
(4) Any other relief the court deems proper.
(d) In assessing the amount of statutory damages, the court shall consider any one or more of the relevant circumstances presented by the case, including, but not limited to, the nature and seriousness of the misconduct, the number of violations, the persistence of the misconduct, the length of time over which the misconduct occurred, the willfulness of the defendant's misconduct, and the defendant's assets, liabilities, and net worth.
(e) The right of action under this section exists independently of any enforcement action or inaction by any governmental agency or official.
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - California Code, Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6153 - last updated January 01, 2025 | https://codes.findlaw.com/ca/business-and-professions-code/bpc-sect-6153/
FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature before relying on it for your legal needs.
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