Minnesota Statutes 626A.32 – Civil Action
Subdivision 1.Cause of action.
Except as provided in section 626A.28, subdivision 5, a provider of electronic communication service, subscriber, or customer aggrieved by a violation of this chapter in which the conduct constituting the violation is engaged in with a knowing or intentional state of mind may, in a civil action, recover from the person or entity which engaged in that violation relief as may be appropriate.
Subd. 2.Relief.
Terms Used In Minnesota Statutes 626A.32
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Electronic communication: means transfer of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data, or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic, photoelectronic, or photooptical system but does not include:
(1) a wire or oral communication;
(2) a communication made through a tone-only paging device; or
(3) a communication from a tracking device, defined as an electronic or mechanical device which permits the tracking of the movement of a person or object. See Minnesota Statutes 626A.01
- 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
- Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
- Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
- Person: means any individual, partnership, corporation, joint stock company, trust, or association, including but not limited to, the subscriber to the telephone or telegraph service involved and any law enforcement officer. See Minnesota Statutes 626A.01
- Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
- state: extends to and includes the District of Columbia and the several territories. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
- Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
Terms Used In Minnesota Statutes 626A.32
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Electronic communication: means transfer of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data, or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic, photoelectronic, or photooptical system but does not include:
(1) a wire or oral communication;
(2) a communication made through a tone-only paging device; or
(3) a communication from a tracking device, defined as an electronic or mechanical device which permits the tracking of the movement of a person or object. See Minnesota Statutes 626A.01
- 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
- Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
- Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
- Person: means any individual, partnership, corporation, joint stock company, trust, or association, including but not limited to, the subscriber to the telephone or telegraph service involved and any law enforcement officer. See Minnesota Statutes 626A.01
- Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
- state: extends to and includes the District of Columbia and the several territories. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
- Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
In a civil action under this section, appropriate relief includes:
(1) temporary and other equitable or declaratory relief as may be appropriate;
(2) damages under subdivision 3; and
(3) a reasonable attorney’s fee and other litigation costs reasonably incurred.
Subd. 3.Damages.
The court may assess as damages in a civil action under this section the sum of the actual damages suffered by the plaintiff and any profits made by the violator as a result of the violation, but in no case is a person entitled to recover to receive less than the sum of $1,000.
Subd. 4.Defense.
A good faith reliance on:
(1) a court warrant or order, a grand jury subpoena, a legislative authorization, or a statutory authorization; or
(2) a good faith determination that section 626A.02, subdivision 3, permitted the conduct complained of;
is a complete defense to a civil or criminal action brought under sections 626A.26 to 626A.34 or any other law.
Subd. 5.Limitation.
A civil action under this section may not be commenced later than two years after the date upon which the claimant first discovered or had a reasonable opportunity to discover the violation.