(a) Whenever the State or any of its political subdivisions or governmental agencies is injured, directly or indirectly, in its business or property by reason of anything forbidden or declared unlawful by this chapter, it may sue to recover threefold the actual damages sustained by it, whether directly or indirectly. The attorney general may bring an action on behalf of the State or any of its political subdivisions or governmental agencies to recover the damages provided for by this section, or by any comparable provisions of federal law.
Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes 480-14
Class action: includes the definition as provided in rule 23 of the Hawaii rules of civil procedure. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 480-1
Consumer: means a natural person who, primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, purchases, attempts to purchase, or is solicited to purchase goods or services or who commits money, property, or services in a personal investment. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 480-1
Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
Lawsuit: A legal action started by a plaintiff against a defendant based on a complaint that the defendant failed to perform a legal duty, resulting in harm to the plaintiff.
persons: includes individuals, corporations, firms, trusts, partnerships, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, limited liability limited partnerships, limited liability companies, and incorporated or unincorporated associations, existing under or authorized by the laws of this State, or any other state, or any foreign country. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 480-1
(b) The attorney general of the State shall be authorized to bring a class action for indirect purchasers asserting claims under this chapter. The attorney general or the director of the office of consumer protection may bring a class action on behalf of consumers based on unfair or deceptive acts or practices declared unlawful by section 480-2. Actions brought under this subsection shall be brought as parens patriae on behalf of natural persons residing in the State to secure threefold damages for injuries sustained by the natural persons to their property by reason of any violation of this chapter.(c) If judgment is in favor of the State or any of its political subdivisions or governmental agencies under any provision of this chapter, the attorney general or the director of the office of consumer protection shall be awarded reasonable attorney’s fees together with the cost of suit; provided that in any class action lawsuit brought by the attorney general on behalf of indirect purchasers, the attorney general shall in addition be awarded an amount commensurate with expenses reasonably expected to be expended in distribution of damages to the indirect purchasers.
