§ 16-123-341 - Pattern and practice cases.
16-123-341. Pattern and practice cases.
(a) At the request of the Arkansas Fair Housing Commission, the Attorney General may file a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction in the county where the respondent resides for appropriate relief if the Attorney General has reasonable cause to believe that:
(1) A person is engaged in a pattern or practice of resistance to the full enjoyment of any right granted by this subchapter; or
(2) A person has been denied any right granted by this subchapter and that denial raises an issue of general public importance.
(b) In an action under this section the court may:
(1) Award preventive relief, including a permanent or temporary injunction, restraining order, or other order against the person responsible for a violation of this subchapter as necessary to assure the full enjoyment of the right granted by this subchapter;
(2) Award other appropriate relief, including monetary damages, reasonable attorney's fees, and court costs; and
(3) To vindicate the public interest, assess a civil penalty against the respondent in an amount that does not exceed:
(A) Fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for a first violation; and
(B) One hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for a second or subsequent violation.
(c) A person may intervene in an action under this section if the person is:
(1) An aggrieved person to the discriminatory housing practice; or
(2) A party to a conciliation agreement concerning the discriminatory housing practice.