Delaware Code Title 6 Sec. 2108 – Actions for equitable relief and damages; suits parens patriae
(a) If the State or any public body thereof is threatened with injury or injured in its business or property by a violation of this chapter, the Attorney General may bring an action for appropriate equitable relief, damages sustained and, as determined by the Court, taxable costs, and reasonable fees for expert witnesses and attorneys, including the Attorney General.
Terms Used In Delaware Code Title 6 Sec. 2108
- Court: means the Court of Chancery except where another court is specifically designated. See Delaware Code Title 6 Sec. 2102
- 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
- Person: means a natural person, partnership (whether general or limited), limited liability company, trust (including a common law trust, business trust, statutory trust, voting trust or any other form of trust), estate, association (including any group, organization, co-tenancy, plan, board, council or committee), corporation, government (including a country, state, county or any other governmental subdivision, agency or instrumentality), custodian, nominee or any other individual or entity (or series thereof) in its own or any representative capacity, in each case, whether domestic or foreign. See Delaware Code Title 6 Sec. 17-101
- Public body: means the state's public agencies, including school districts, and its political subdivisions, including municipal and other authorities. See Delaware Code Title 6 Sec. 2102
- State: means the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or any state, territory, possession, or other jurisdiction of the United States other than the State of Delaware. See Delaware Code Title 6 Sec. 17-101
(b) The Attorney General may bring suit as parens patriae on behalf of natural persons residing in this State to secure monetary relief for such persons who are injured in their business or property by a violation of this chapter. The Court may also award taxable costs and reasonable fees for expert witnesses and attorneys, including the Attorney General.
(c) In actions under this section, the Court may, in its discretion, award as monetary relief up to threefold the total damage sustained, in addition to costs and fees, provided that the Court finds the acts complained of to have been wilful.
(d) Monetary relief awarded under subsection (b) of this section may be payable to the State or may be distributed in such manner as the Court in its discretion may authorize.
(e) In any action brought under subsection (b) of this section, the Attorney General shall, at such times, in such manner, and with such content as the Court may direct, cause notice thereof to be given by publication. If the Court finds that notice given solely by publication would deny due process of law to any person or persons, the Court may direct further notice to such person or persons according to the circumstances of the case.
(f) Any person on whose behalf an action is brought under subsection (b) of this section may elect to exclude from adjudication the portion of the state claim for monetary relief attributable to the person by filing notice of such election with the Court in the manner specified in the notice given pursuant to subsection (e) of this section. The final judgment in any action under subsection (b) of this section shall be res judicata as to any claim under this chapter by any person on behalf of whom such action was brought and who fails to give notice of exclusion in the manner specified in this subsection.
(g) In any action brought under subsection (b) of this section, the Court shall exclude from the amount of any monetary relief awarded any amount which duplicates an award made by any court for the same injury, or which is allocable to persons excluded under subsection (f) of this section.