(a) Securities Litigation Uniform Standards Act. Enforcement of civil liability under this section is subject to the Securities Litigation Uniform Standards Act of 1998.

(b) Liability of seller to purchaser. A person is liable to the purchaser if the person sells a security in violation of § 47-31B-301 or, by means of an untrue statement of a material fact or an omission to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statement made, in light of the circumstances under which it is made, not misleading, the purchaser not knowing the untruth or omission and the seller not sustaining the burden of proof that the seller did not know and, in the exercise of reasonable care, could not have known of the untruth or omission. An action under this subsection is governed by the following:

Terms Used In South Dakota Codified Laws 47-31B-509

  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
  • Person: includes natural persons, partnerships, associations, cooperative corporations, limited liability companies, and corporations. See South Dakota Codified Laws 2-14-2

(1) The purchaser may maintain an action to recover the consideration paid for the security, less the amount of any income received on the security, and interest at Category D, § 54-3-16 from the date of the purchase, costs, and reasonable attorneys’ fees determined by the court, upon the tender of the security, or for actual damages as provided in paragraph (3).

(2) The tender referred to in paragraph (1) may be made any time before entry of judgment. Tender requires only notice in a record of ownership of the security and willingness to exchange the security for the amount specified. A purchaser that no longer owns the security may recover actual damages as provided in paragraph (3).

(3) Actual damages in an action arising under this subsection are the amount that would be recoverable upon a tender less the value of the security when the purchaser disposed of it, and interest at Category D § 54-3-16 from the date of the purchase, costs, and reasonable attorneys’ fees determined by the court.

(c) Liability of purchaser to seller. A person is liable to the seller if the person buys a security by means of an untrue statement of a material fact or omission to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statement made, in light of the circumstances under which it is made, not misleading, the seller not knowing of the untruth or omission, and the purchaser not sustaining the burden of proof that the purchaser did not know, and in the exercise of reasonable care, could not have known of the untruth or omission. An action under this subsection is governed by the following:

(1) The seller may maintain an action to recover the security, and any income received on the security, costs, and reasonable attorneys’ fees determined by the court, upon the tender of the purchase price, or for actual damages as provided in paragraph (3).

(2) The tender referred to in paragraph (1) may be made any time before entry of judgment. Tender requires only notice in a record of the present ability to pay the amount tendered and willingness to take delivery of the security for the amount specified. If the purchaser no longer owns the security, the seller may recover actual damages as provided in paragraph (3).

(3) Actual damages in an action arising under this subsection are the difference between the price at which the security was sold and the value the security would have had at the time of the sale in the absence of the purchaser’s conduct causing liability, and interest at Category D § 54-3-16 from the date of the sale of the security, costs, and reasonable attorneys’ fees determined by the court.

(d) Liability of unregistered brokerdealer and agent. A person acting as a brokerdealer or agent that sells or buys a security in violation of § 47-31B-401(a), 47-31B-402(a), or 47-31B-506 is liable to the customer. The customer, if a purchaser, may maintain an action for recovery of actual damages as specified in subsections (b)(1) through (3), or, if a seller, for a remedy as specified in subsections (c)(1) through (3).