North Carolina General Statutes 113A-211. Enforcement and penalties
(a) Violations of this Article shall be subject to the same criminal sanctions, civil penalties and equitable remedies as provided by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 160D-404
(b) Any person injured by a violation of this Article or any person who resides in the county in which the violation occurred may bring a civil action against the person alleged to be in violation. The action may seek:
(1) Injunctive relief; or
Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes 113A-211
- Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
- Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
- Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
- Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
- Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
- Temporary restraining order: Prohibits a person from an action that is likely to cause irreparable harm. This differs from an injunction in that it may be granted immediately, without notice to the opposing party, and without a hearing. It is intended to last only until a hearing can be held.
(2) An order enforcing the provision violated; or
(3) Damages caused by the violation; or
(4) Both damages and injunctive relief; or
(5) Both damages and an enforcement order; or
(6) Both an enforcement order and injunctive relief.
If actual damages as found by the court or jury in suits brought under this subsection are five hundred dollars ($500.00) or less, the plaintiff shall be awarded double the amount of actual damages; if the amount of actual damages as found by the court or jury is greater than five hundred dollars ($500.00), the plaintiff shall receive damages in the amount so found. Injunctive relief or an enforcement order under this subsection may be based upon a threatened injury, an actual injury, or both.
Civil actions under this subsection shall be brought in the General Court of Justice of the county in which the alleged violation occurred. The court, in issuing any final order in any action brought pursuant to this section may award costs of litigation, including reasonable attorney and expert-witness fees, to any party, whenever it determines that such an award is appropriate. The court may, if a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction is sought, require the filing of a bond or equivalent security, the amount of such bond or security to be determined by the court. Nothing in this section shall restrict any right which any person or class of persons may have under the common law or under any statute to seek injunctive or other relief.
(c) Within the meaning of this section, violations of this Article include violations of local ordinances adopted pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 113A-208 (1983, c. 676, s. 1; 2019-111, s. 2.5(m); 2020-3, s. 4.33(a); 2020-25, s. 51(a), (b), (d).)