Montana Title 32. Financial Institutions § 32-1-902. Notice of charges--hearing--cease and desist order--effective date

(1) If the director has reasonable cause to believe that any institution is engaging or has engaged or is about to engage in an unsafe or unsound practice in conducting the business of such institution or is violating, has violated, or is about to violate a law or rule, the director may issue and serve upon the institution a notice of charges in respect thereof. The notice shall contain a statement of the facts constituting the alleged unsafe or unsound practice or violation and shall fix a time and place at which a hearing will be held to determine whether an order to cease and desist therefrom should issue against the institution.

(2) The hearing may not be earlier than 30 days or later than 60 days after service of the notice unless an earlier or a later date is set by the director at the request of the institution. Unless the institution appears at the hearing by a duly authorized representative, it shall be considered to have consented to the issuance of the cease and desist order. In the event of such consent or if upon the record made at any such hearing the director finds that any unsafe or unsound practice or violation specified in the notice of charges has been established by the preponderance of the evidence, the director may issue and serve upon the institution an order to cease and desist from any such practice or violation. By provisions which may be mandatory or otherwise, the order may require the institution and its board members, officers, employees, and agents to cease and desist from such practice or violation and to take affirmative action to correct the conditions resulting from any such practice or violation.

(3) A cease and desist order becomes effective at the expiration of 45 days after the service of the order upon the institution, except in the case of an order issued upon consent which is effective at the time specified therein, and remains effective and enforceable as provided therein, except to the extent it is stayed, modified, terminated, or set aside by the action of the director or a reviewing court.