The Washington State Consumer Protection Act, also known as the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), is a state law that aims to protect consumers from unfair or deceptive business practices. Violation of RCW 15.86.030 constitutes violation of RCW 19.86.020. Contracts, combinations, conspiracies in restraint of trade declared unlawful. Monopolies and attempted monopolies declared unlawful. Transactions and agreements not to use or deal in commodities or services of competitor declared unlawful when lessens competition. Educating the public on He said he believes the disbarment in the Colville Reservation tribal court was retaliatory after he represented clients from fuel stations challenging the tribes authority to tax them. There is established a unit within the office of the attorney general for the purpose of detection, investigation, and prosecution of any act prohibited or declared to be unlawful under this chapter. Transactions and agreements not to use or deal in commodities or services of competitor declared unlawful when lessens competition. WebApplication of consumer protection act Limitation Awards Penalties Attorneys' fees. A petition, by the person on whom the demand is served, stating good cause, to require the attorney general or any person to perform any duty imposed by the provisions of this section, and all other petitions in connection with a demand, may be filed in the superior court for Thurston county, or in the county where the parties reside. Sec. Consumer Protection Washington is dedicated to educating and alerting the public on consumer issues, scams and investigations affecting residents in Washington State. This act shall be known and designated as the "Consumer Protection Act.". Acquisition of corporate stock by another corporation to lessen competition declared unlawful, Attorney general may restrain prohibited acts, Assurance of discontinuance of prohibited act, Demand to produce documentary materials for inspection, answer written interrogatories, or give oral testimony. Fergusons letter warns that any gym failing to comply is violating the Washington State Consumer Protection Act, and will face legal action from his office, according to a news release Monday from the state Office of Attorney General. (a) State the statute and section or sections thereof, the alleged violation of which is under investigation, and the general subject matter of the investigation; (b) If the demand is for the production of documentary material, describe the class or classes of documentary material to be produced thereunder with reasonable specificity so as fairly to indicate the material demanded; (c) Prescribe a return date within which the documentary material is to be produced, the answers to written interrogatories are to be made, or a date, time, and place at which oral testimony is to be taken; and. If you feel that you have been the victim of an act that violated your consumer rights, a consumer protection lawyer can help. Contracts, combinations, conspiracies in restraint of trade declared unlawful. Enacted in 1961, the CPA was modeled after Section 5 of the (9) Whenever any person fails to comply with any civil investigative demand for documentary material, answers to written interrogatories, or oral testimony duly served upon him or her under this section, or whenever satisfactory copying or reproduction of any such material cannot be done and such person refuses to surrender such material, the attorney general may file, in the trial court of general jurisdiction of the county in which such person resides, is found, or transacts business, and serve upon such person a petition for an order of such court for the enforcement of this section, except that if such person transacts business in more than one county such petition shall be filed in the county in which such person maintains his or her principal place of business, or in such other county as may be agreed upon by the parties to such petition. Consumer laws in Washington set out to protect residents from scams and enforce their rights against both the government and large corporations. For unlawful acts or practices that target or impact specific individuals or communities based on demographic characteristics including, but not limited to, age, race, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, sex, sexual orientation, presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, religion, veteran status, or status as a member of the armed forces, as that term is defined in 10 U.S.C. Hearing instrument dispensing, advertising, etc. The law gives the state Attorney General's office the authority to take legal action against businesses that engage in such practices. Read the Supreme Courts Opinion below or here. Final judgment to restrain is prima facie evidence in civil action. Reached by phone Thursday, Love said he firmly denies all claims against him, defended his academic background and suggested he would take legal action against the Attorney Generals Office for the allegations. A hearing is scheduled for June. Web1500 Jefferson St. Heating oil pollution liability protection act: RCW, Immigration services fraud prevention act: RCW, Manufactured and mobile home installation service and warranty service standards: RCW, Motor vehicle subleasing or transfer: Chapter, Offers to alter bids at sales pursuant to deeds of trust: RCW, On-site sewage additive manufacturers: RCW, Pay-per-call information delivery services: Chapter, Promotional advertising of prizes: Chapter, Radio communications service companies not regulated by utilities and transportation commission: RCW, Roofing and siding contractors and salespersons: Chapter, Telephone buyers' protection act: Chapter, Water companies exempt from utilities and transportation commission regulation: RCW, Weatherization of leased or rented residences: RCW. (1) The attorney general may bring an action in the name of the state, or as parens patriae on behalf of persons residing in the state, against any person to restrain and prevent the doing of any act herein prohibited or declared to be unlawful; and the prevailing party may, in the discretion of the court, recover the costs of said action including a reasonable attorney's fee. COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) The Ohio Attorney Generals Office Additionally, it gives consumers the right to seek damages, including actual damages, statutory damages, and attorney's fees. Ferguson said an independent study commissioned as part of his offices investigation showed that Value Villages conduct deceived Washingtonians. The consumer must have suffered some sort of harm or injury caused by the business's actions in order to sue them under the CPA. TheFair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), enforced by the Federal Trade Commission, promotes accuracy in consumer reports and is meant to ensure the privacy of the information in them. The lawsuit claimed Value Village misled customers and gave them the impression that their purchases benefited nonprofit partners and that every time someone donated clothing or other goods, charities received a donation. Why patients from the South are coming to Washington state, Spokane Public Schools delays classes, Mead cancels as snow makes for slick commute , Jon Tester, Mike Crapo lead bipartisan effort to give full benefits to all combat-injured veterans , Missoula woman arrested after hundreds of fentanyl pills discovered during Post Falls traffic stop , Northern Lights dazzled the Inland Northwest Sunday night , Stephanie Vigil, longtime KHQ-TV news anchor, announces June departure to travel and start pickleball clothier, State 4A/3A boys: No. 1125 Washington St SE PO Box 40100 Olympia, WA 98504 (360) 753-6200 (4) Service of any such demand may be made by: (a) Delivering a duly executed copy thereof to the person to be served, or, if such person is not a natural person, to any officer or managing agent of the person to be served; or, (b) Delivering a duly executed copy thereof to the principal place of business in this state of the person to be served; or. Unfair competition, practices, declared unlawful. Every contract, combination, in the form of trust or otherwise, or conspiracy in restraint of trade or commerce is hereby declared unlawful. Use FindLaw to hire a local (1) The attorney general may bring an action in the name of the state, or as parens patriae on behalf of persons residing in the state, against any person to restrain and prevent the doing of any act herein prohibited or declared to be unlawful; and the prevailing party may, in the discretion of the court, recover the costs of said action including a reasonable attorney's fee. Keep copies of written contracts, estimates, receipts, warranties, and other documents that are related to the complaint. Hearing instrument dispensing, advertising, etc. Feb. 28, 2023, at 2:11 p.m. EPA Opens Office Near Site of Ohio Toxic Train Derailment. Disclaimer. It shall be unlawful for any person to lease or make a sale or contract for sale of goods, wares, merchandise, machinery, supplies, or other commodities, or services, whether patented or unpatented, for use, consumption, enjoyment, or resale, or fix a price charged therefor, or discount from, or rebate upon, such price, on the condition, agreement, or understanding that the lessee or purchaser thereof shall not use or deal in the goods, wares, merchandise, machinery, supplies, or other commodity or services of a competitor or competitors of the lessor or seller, where the effect of such lease, sale, or contract for such sale or such condition, agreement, or understanding may be to substantially lessen competition or tend to create a monopoly in any line of commerce. Unfair competition, practices, declared unlawful. WebThe Washington Privacy Act is a law: relating to the management and oversight of personal data; amending RCW 43.105.369; adding a new section to chapter 9.73 RCW; To this end this act shall be liberally construed that its beneficial purposes may be served. Personal service of process outside state. In the course of the deposition, the assistant attorney general conducting the examination may exclude from the place where the examination is held all persons other than the person being examined, the person's counsel, and the officer before whom the testimony is to be taken; (d) Any person compelled to appear pursuant to a demand for oral testimony under this section may be accompanied by counsel; (e) The oral testimony of any person obtained pursuant to a demand served under this section shall be taken in the county within which the person resides, is found, or transacts business, or in such other place as may be agreed upon between the person served and the attorney general. Get breaking news delivered to your inbox as it happens. Web15 3.1 The State files this complaint and institutes these proceedings under the 16 provisions of the Consumer Protection Act ("CPA"), RCW 19.86, and the Charitable 17 Solicitations Act ("CSA"), RCW 19.09. The labor of a human being is not a commodity or article of commerce. Mr. Final judgment to restrain is prima facie evidence in civil action. 12 22. Transactions and agreements not to use The consumer may have to prove that the business had knowledge of the illegal conduct.