Section 7-1-92. Forfeiture proceedings

   (a) Articles of financial institutions existing under the laws of this state are subject to forfeiture:

   (1) In the case of an institution subject to such requirements, for failure to file its annual report with the Secretary of State or its annual license or occupation tax return within the time required by law;

   (2) For failure to maintain a registered office in this state as required by the provisions of Title 14, relating to corporations, or by Code Section 7-1-132;

   (3) For having procured its articles through fraud;

   (4) For failure to organize and proceed to do business within a period of 24 months from the date of the certificate of incorporation;

   (5) For failure to obey a final court order issued pursuant to subsection (a) of Code Section 7-1-91 within the time specified in such order; or

   (6) Where, because of violation of law or its articles or the unsafe condition or manner of operation of the financial institution, its continued existence is likely to injure the public or the institution's creditors or depositors.

(b) Where such grounds exist, the department, through the Attorney General and in the name of the state, is authorized to institute quo warranto or other appropriate proceedings in the principal court to vacate and forfeit the articles of any financial institution.

(c) Where the articles of any financial institution shall be forfeited, the department shall, if it has not already done so, take charge of the business and assets of such institution and proceed to liquidate it in the same manner as is herein provided in cases where the department takes possession of a financial institution directly.

(d) No action to forfeit the articles of any financial institution shall be brought except as provided herein, but any person or corporation shall have the right to submit to the department any facts which under the law would authorize the forfeiture of the articles of a financial institution.

(e) On and after April 1, 1975, the provisions of Title 14, relating to forfeiture, shall not be applicable to financial institutions.

Ga. L. 1919, p. 135, art. 15, §§ 1-4; Ga. L. 1925, p. 165, § 10; Code 1933, §§ 13-1601, 13-1602, 13-1603, 13-1604, 25-122; Ga. L. 1935, p. 114, § 1; Ga. L. 1937-38, Ex. Sess., p. 307, § 7; Ga. L. 1943, p. 279, § 1; Ga. L. 1949, p. 442, § 1; Ga. L. 1956, p. 742, § 4; Ga. L. 1960, p. 977, § 1; Ga. L. 1962, p. 74, § 3; Ga. L. 1968, p. 465, § 8; Code 1933, § 41A-403, enacted by Ga. L. 1974, p. 705, § 1; Ga. L. 1975, p. 445, § 11.