{"data":{"id":"us-mt/30-14-144","jurisdiction":"us-mt","citation":"30-14-144","heading":"Additional penalty for unfair or deceptive act committed against vulnerable adult.","body":"(1) In addition to any civil penalty imposed pursuant to 30-14-142, a person who engages in a practice unlawful under 30-14-103 and whose conduct is perpetrated against a vulnerable adult is liable for an additional civil penalty not to exceed $10,000 for each violation if the court finds that:\n(a) the person knew or should have known that the person's conduct was directed toward one or more vulnerable adults; or\n(b) the person's conduct caused a vulnerable adult to suffer one of the following:\n(i) loss or encumbrance of a primary residence;\n(ii) loss of principal employment or other source of income;\n(iii) substantial loss of property set aside for retirement or for personal or family care and maintenance;\n(iv) substantial loss of payments received under a pension or retirement plan or a government benefits program; or\n(v) loss of assets essential to the health or welfare of the vulnerable adult.\n(2) Damages awarded in an action under 30-14-133 must be given priority over imposition of civil penalties ordered by the court under this section.\n(3) As used in this section, \"vulnerable adult\" has the meaning provided in 52-3-803.","path":["TITLE 30. TRADE AND COMMERCE","CHAPTER 14. UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES AND CONSUMER PROTECTION","Part 1. Consumer Protection Act"],"source_url":"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0300/chapter_0140/part_0010/section_0440/0300-0140-0010-0440.html","current_through":"Montana Code Annotated 2025","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T04:51:35Z","sha256":"e2d9ab9a17f917a0e04dfc2c7b6c300f78ca6e8d1116a46911f117512f645134","source_id":"us-mt","stale":false,"prev":"us-mt/30-14-143","next":"us-mt/30-14-145"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}