31-1-222. Denial, suspension, or revocation of licenses. - Montana Statutes

     31-1-222. Denial, suspension, or revocation of licenses. (1) Renewal of a license originally granted under 31-1-221 may be denied or a license may be suspended or revoked by the department on the following grounds:
     (a) material misstatement of fact in the application for license;
     (b) willful failure to comply with any provision of this part relating to retail installment contracts;
     (c) defrauding any retail buyer to the buyer's damage;
     (d) fraudulent misrepresentation, circumvention, or concealment by the licensee through subterfuge or device of any of the material particulars or the nature of those particulars required to be stated or furnished to the retail buyer under this part.
     (2) If a licensee is a partnership, association, or corporation, it is sufficient cause for the suspension or revocation of a license that any officer, director, or trustee of a licensed association or corporation or any member of a licensed partnership has acted or failed to act so as to provide cause for suspending or revoking a license to that party as an individual. Each licensee is responsible for the acts of the licensee's employees while acting as the licensee's agent if the licensee after actual knowledge of the acts retained the benefits, proceeds, profits, or advantage accruing from the acts or otherwise ratified the acts.
     (3) (a) A license may not be denied, suspended, or revoked except after hearing. The department shall give the licensee at least 10 days' written notice, in the form of an order to show cause, of the time and place of the hearing by certified mail addressed to the licensee's principal place of business in this state. The notice must contain the grounds of complaint against the licensee.
     (b) An order suspending or revoking a license must recite the grounds upon which it is based. The order must be entered upon the records of the department and is not effective until 30 days after written notice has been forwarded by certified mail to the licensee at the licensee's principal place of business.
     (c) A revocation, suspension, or surrender of a license does not impair or affect the obligation of a lawful retail installment contract acquired previously by the licensee.

     History: En. Sec. 4, Ch. 282, L. 1959; amd. Sec. 138, Ch. 431, L. 1975; amd. Sec. 14, Ch. 185, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 74-604; amd. Sec. 971, Ch. 56, L. 2009.