Maine Revised Statutes Title 7. Agriculture and Animals § 1096. Violation; penalties

1. Civil violation. Failure of a dealer or processor to pay assigned dues to an association within the time required by section 1093 is a civil violation for which a forfeiture of double the amount of the assigned dues that were not timely paid to the association shall be adjudged. The court shall order payment of the forfeiture to the association. In the event of a willful violation, the dealer or processor shall be subject to an additional civil penalty, payable to the State, of not more than $1,000 for a first violation and not more than $2,000 for each subsequent violation. The forfeiture and civil penalty created by this subsection are recoverable by the commissioner in a civil action.

2. Private action. Any dealer or processor that fails to pay assigned dues to an association within the time required by section 1093 is liable to that association in a civil action for double the amount of the assigned dues that were not timely paid to the association, plus reasonable attorneys fees, provided that the filing of a civil violation action, pursuant to subsection 1, shall bar the filing of a private action under this subsection arising from the same events of nonpayment.