Subdivision 1.Criminal violations.

Any person engaged in the business of a sales finance company in this state without a license therefor as provided in sections 53C.01 to 53C.14 shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor and punished by a fine not exceeding $3,000, or by imprisonment for a period not to exceed 364 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court.

Subd. 2.Fraudulent violations.

Attorney's Note

Under the Minnesota Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Gross misdemeanorup to 1 yearup to $3,000
Misdemeanorup to 90 daysup to $1,000
For details, see § 609.02

Terms Used In Minnesota Statutes 53C.12

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Counterclaim: A claim that a defendant makes against a plaintiff.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
  • state: extends to and includes the District of Columbia and the several territories. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44

In case of a fraudulent violation of any provision of sections 53C.01 to 53C.14, the buyer shall have a right to recover from the person committing such violation, to set off or counterclaim in any action by such person to enforce such contract an amount as liquidated damages, the whole of the contract due and payable, plus reasonable attorneys’ fees.

Subd. 3.Other violations.

In case of a failure to comply with any provision of sections 53C.01 to 53C.14, other than a fraudulent violation, the buyer shall have a right to recover from the person committing such violation, to set off or counterclaim in any action by such person to enforce such contract an amount as liquidated damages equal to three times the amount of any time price differential charged in excess of the amount authorized by sections 53C.01 to 53C.14 or $50, whichever is greater, plus reasonable attorneys’ fees.