Delaware Code Title 11 Sec. 1505 – Civil remedies
(a) The Superior Court of this State shall have jurisdiction to prevent and restrain violations of this chapter by issuing appropriate orders, including but not limited to: Ordering any person to divest any interest, direct or indirect, in any enterprise; imposing reasonable restrictions on the future activities or investments of any person including, but not limited to, prohibiting any person from engaging in the same type of endeavor as the enterprise engaged in; or ordering the dissolution or reorganization of any enterprise, making due provision of the rights of innocent persons.
Terms Used In Delaware Code Title 11 Sec. 1505
- Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
- Civil forfeiture: The loss of ownership of property used to conduct illegal activity.
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Enterprise: shall include any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, trust or other legal entity; and any union, association or group of persons associated in fact, although not a legal entity. See Delaware Code Title 11 Sec. 1502
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- 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.
- Racketeering: shall mean to engage in, to attempt to engage in, to conspire to engage in or to solicit, coerce or intimidate another person to engage in:
- State: means the State of Delaware; and when applied to different parts of the United States, it includes the District of Columbia and the several territories and possessions of the United States. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
- Year: means a calendar year, and is equivalent to the words "year of our Lord. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
(b) The Attorney General may institute proceedings under § 1503 of this title and in addition for damages, civil forfeiture and a civil penalty of up to $100,000 for each incident of activity constituting a violation of this chapter. In any action brought by the State under § 1503 of this title, the Court shall proceed as soon as practicable to hold a hearing and reach a final determination in the matter. Pending final determination thereof, the Court may at any time enter such restraining orders or prohibitions, or take such other actions, including the acceptance of any satisfactory performance bond, as it shall deem proper.
(c) Any person directly or indirectly injured by reason of any conduct constituting a violation of this chapter may sue therefor in any appropriate court, and if successful shall recover 3 times the actual damages sustained and, when appropriate, punitive damages. Damages under this subsection are not limited to competitive or distinct injury. Plaintiffs who substantially prevail shall also recover attorneys’ fees in the trial and appellate courts, together with the costs of investigation and litigation, reasonably incurred; provided, however, no action may be had under § 1503 of this title except against a defendant who has been criminally convicted of a racketeering activity which was the source of the injury alleged, and no action may be brought under this provision except within 1 year of such conviction.
(d) Any person who is injured by reason of any violation of this chapter shall have a right or claim to property forfeited under § 1504 of this title, or to the proceeds derived therefrom, which right or claim shall be superior to that of the State (other than for costs) in the same property or proceeds. To enforce such right or claim, the injured person must intervene.
(e) Upon the filing of a civil proceeding or action, the plaintiff shall immediately notify the Attorney General of the filing. The Attorney General may intervene upon certification that in the opinion of the Attorney General the action is of general public interest.
(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of law providing a shorter period of limitations, a civil proceeding or action under this paragraph may be commenced within 5 years after the conduct made unlawful under § 1504 of this title or when the cause of action otherwise accrues or within an longer statutory period that shall be applicable. If a criminal proceeding or civil action or other proceeding is brought or intervened in by the Attorney General to punish, prevent or restrain any activity made unlawful under § 1504 of this title, the running of the period of limitations prescribed by this subsection with respect to any other cause of action of an aggrieved person based in whole or part upon any matter complained of in any such prosecution, action or proceeding, shall be suspended during the pendency of such prosecution, action or proceeding and for 2 years following its termination.