§ 54-157. Breach of marketing contract of cooperative association; spreading false reports about the finances or management thereof; misdemeanor. - North Carolina Statutes

§54‑157.  Breach of marketing contract of cooperative association;spreading false reports about the finances or management thereof; misdemeanor.

Any person or persons, or anycorporation whose officers or employees knowingly induces or attempts to induceany member or stockholder of an association organized hereunder to breach hismarketing contract with the association, or who maliciously and knowinglyspreads false reports about the finances or management thereof shall be guiltyof a Class 2 misdemeanor and subject only to a fine of not less than onehundred dollars ($100.00), and not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), forsuch offense and shall be liable to the association aggrieved in a civil suitin the penal sum of five hundred dollars ($500.00) for each such offense: Provided, that this section shall not apply to a bona fide creditor of anymember or stockholder of such association, or the agents or attorney of anysuch bona fide creditor, endeavoring to make collection of the indebtedness, orto any communication, written or oral, between a business company or concernand persons with whom it has an existing contractual relationship whichcommunication relates to the performance of that contractual relationship andduties and responsibilities arising therefrom. (1921, c. 87, s. 25; C.S., s.5259(dd); 1963, c. 1168, s. 14; 1993, c. 539, s. 430; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24,s. 14(c).)