Sec. 12.

(1) Any licensee who wilfully and intentionally violates this act shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

(2) Any licensee who enters into a credit card arrangement which does not comply with sections 10 and 11 or who violates section 10 or 11, except as a result of accidental or bona fide error, is barred from the recovery of any interest or other charges, attorney fees, or court costs and the consumer shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorney fees and court costs from the licensee.

(3) Whether or not he or she seeks damages or has an adequate remedy at law, a person, a county prosecutor, or the attorney general may bring an action to:

(a) Obtain a declaratory judgment that a method, act, or practice is a violation of this act.

(b) Enjoin in accordance with the principal of equity a person who is engaging or is about to engage in a method, act, or practice which violates this act.

(c) Except as limited by subdivision (d), recover actual damages resulting from a violation of this act, or $250.00, whichever is greater, together with reasonable attorneys' fees and the costs of bringing the action. Recovery in class actions shall be limited to actual damages without attorneys' fees and the cost of bringing the action.

(d) If the licensee establishes by a preponderance of the evidence that the failure to comply with sections 10 and 11 or the violation of section 10 or 11 was not wilful and intentional, the amount recovered pursuant to subdivision (c) shall not exceed actual damages.

History: 1984, Act 379, Imd. Eff. Dec. 28, 1984 Compiler's Notes: For transfer of authority, powers, duties, functions, and responsibility of the financial institutions bureau and the commissioner of the financial institutions bureau to the commissioner of the office of financial and insurance services and the office of financial and insurance services by type III transfer, see E.R.O. No. 2000-2, compiled at MCL 445.2003 of the Michigan compiled laws.