19.49 Administration; enforcement.

582 words·~3 min read·/wi/chapter-19/19-49

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

(1)General authority. The commission shall have the responsibility for the administration of ch. 11 , subch. III of ch. 13 , and this subchapter. Pursuant to such responsibility, the commission may:

(a)In the discharge of its duties and after providing notice to any party who is the subject of an investigation, subpoena and bring before it any person and require the production of any papers, book, or other records relevant to an investigation. Notwithstanding s. 885.01

(4), the issuance of a subpoena requires action by the commission at a meeting of the commission. A circuit court may by order permit the inspection and copying of the accounts and the depositor’s and loan records at any financial institution, as defined in s. 705.01

(3), doing business in the state to obtain evidence of any violation of ch. 11 upon showing by the commission of probable cause to believe there is a violation and that such accounts and records may have a substantial relation to the violation. In the discharge of its duties, the commission may cause the deposition of witnesses to be taken in the manner prescribed for taking depositions in civil actions in circuit court.

(b)Bring civil actions to require a forfeiture for any violation of ch. 11 , subch. III of ch. 13 , or this subchapter or for a license revocation for any violation of subch. III of ch. 13 for which the offender is subject to a revocation. The commission may compromise and settle any civil action or potential action brought or authorized to be brought by it which, in the opinion of the commission, constitutes a minor violation, a violation caused by excusable neglect, or which for other good cause shown, should not in the public interest be prosecuted under such chapter. Notwithstanding s. 778.06 , a civil action or proposed civil action authorized under this paragraph may be settled for such sum as may be agreed between the parties. Any settlement made by the commission shall be in such amount as to deprive the alleged violator of any benefit of his or her wrongdoing and may contain a penal component to serve as a deterrent to future violations. In settling civil actions or proposed civil actions, the commission shall treat comparable situations in a comparable manner and shall assure that any settlement bears a reasonable relationship to the severity of the offense or alleged offense. Except as otherwise provided in sub.

(b)13. and 14. and ss. 19.554 and 19.59

(8), forfeiture and license revocation actions brought by the commission shall be brought in the circuit court for the county where the defendant resides, or if the defendant is a nonresident of this state, in circuit court for the county wherein the violation is alleged to occur. For purposes of this paragraph, a person other than an individual resides within a county if the person’s principal place of operation is located within that county. Whenever the commission enters into a settlement agreement with an individual who is accused of a civil violation of ch. 11 , subch. III of ch. 13 , or this subchapter or who is investigated by the commission for a possible civil violation of one of those provisions, the commission shall reduce the agreement to writing, together with a statement of the commission’s findings and reasons for entering into the agreement and shall retain the agreement and statement in its office for inspection.