West Virginia Code 19-14-12 – Embargoes; condemnation and confiscation; injunctions
(a) Embargo orders.
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 19-14-12
- Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
- Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
(1) When the commissioner has reasonable cause to believe any lot of commercial feed is being manufactured, distributed, offered for sale, exposed for sale, or used in this state in violation of the provisions of this article or any rule promulgated hereunder, then he or she may issue and enforce a written embargo order, warning the custodian of the commercial feed not to manufacture, distribute, use, remove, or dispose of the commercial feed lot in any manner until the embargo is released by the commissioner or by court order.
(2) When the embargo is issued, the commissioner shall affix a tag or other marking to the commercial feed and/or to the manufacturing device warning that such product or process is under embargo and notify the custodian that he or she has a right to request an immediate hearing.
(3) The commissioner shall release the commercial feed lot so embargoed when said commercial feed has been brought into compliance with this article and its rules.
(4) The commissioner shall have the authority to issue an embargo against a perishable product, even if the result is the involuntary disposal of the product.
(5) The commissioner may take action to seize and condemn any product if not brought into compliance with this article and the rules issued hereunder, within 90 days of the notice to the custodian.
(b) Condemnation and confiscation.
(1) Any commercial feed not in compliance with the provisions of this article or the rules promulgated hereunder shall be subject to condemnation and confiscation on complaint of the commissioner to the circuit court of the county in which the commercial feed in question is located. Jurisdiction is hereby conferred upon the circuit courts to hear and determine such matter.
(2) If the court finds that the commercial feed is in violation of the provisions of this article or its rules and should be confiscated, then the court shall order the condemnation and confiscation of such commercial feed and its disposition in a manner consistent with the quality of such commercial feed which is not in violation of any other laws of this state: Provided, That the owner thereof must first be given an opportunity to process or relabel such commercial feed or dispose of the same in full compliance with the provisions of this article and its rules.
(c) Injunctions. Upon application by the commissioner, the circuit court of the county in which the violation is occurring, has occurred, or is about to occur, may grant a temporary or permanent injunction restraining any person from violating or continuing to violate any of the provisions of this article or any rule promulgated hereunder. An injunction shall be issued without bond.