Section 2-14-135. Civil penalties; injunctions

   (a) Any person who violates any provision of this article or who violates any rule or regulation issued by the Commissioner pursuant to this article shall be liable for a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $5,000.00 for each and every violation thereof, the amount of such penalty to be fixed by the Commissioner after notice and hearing as provided in Chapter 13 of Title 50, the "Georgia Administrative Procedure Act," for contested cases. Each day of violation shall constitute a separate violation for purposes of this subsection but in no event shall the penalty exceed $20,000.00. Any moneys recovered pursuant to this Code section shall be deposited in the state treasury.

(b) Whenever in the judgment of the Commissioner any person has engaged in or is about to engage in any act or practice which constitutes or will constitute any violation of this article, the Commissioner may make application to the superior court of the county where such person resides or, if a nonresident of this state, to the superior court of the county where such person is engaged in or is about to engage in such act or practice, for an order enjoining and restraining such act or practice. If it appears to the court, upon any application for a temporary restraining order or upon any application for an interlocutory or permanent injunction, after evidence is received, that any person has engaged in or is about to engage in any act or practice which constitutes or will constitute any violation of this article or any rule or regulation duly issued by the Commissioner under this article, then the court shall enjoin the defendant from commiting further violations. It shall not be necessary in such event to allege or prove lack of an adequate remedy at law.

(c) In any court action brought by the Commissioner to enforce any of the provisions of this article or any rule or regulation issued by the Commissioner, the judgment, if in favor of the Commissioner, shall provide that defendant pay to the Commissioner all costs and expenses incurred by the Commissioner in the prosecution of such action.

(d) The Commissioner may file in the superior court of the county wherein the person under order resides, or, if the person is a corporation, in the county wherein the corporation maintains its principal place of business, or in the county wherein the violation occurred or in which jurisdiction is appropriate, a certified copy of a final administrative order of the Commissioner unappealed from or a final administrative order of the Commissioner affirmed upon appeal, whereupon the court shall render judgment in accordance therewith and notify the parties. Such judgment shall have the same effect, and all proceedings in relation thereto shall thereafter be the same, as though the judgment had been rendered in an action duly heard and determined by such court.

Code 1981, § 2-14-135, enacted by Ga. L. 1986, p. 3, § 1.