§ 20-77-904 - Investigation by Attorney General.
20-77-904. Investigation by Attorney General.
(a) If the Attorney General has reasonable cause to believe that a person has information or is in possession, custody, or control of any document or other tangible object relevant to an investigation or that would lead to the discovery of relevant information in an investigation for violation of this subchapter, the Attorney General may serve upon the person, before bringing any action in the circuit court, a written demand to appear and be examined under oath, to answer written interrogatories under oath, and to produce the document or object for inspection and copying. The demand shall:
(1) Be served upon the person in the manner required for service of process in the State of Arkansas or by certified mail with return receipt requested;
(2) Describe the nature of the conduct constituting the violation under investigation;
(3) Describe the class or classes of documents or objects with sufficient definiteness to permit them to be fairly identified;
(4) Contain a copy of the written interrogatories;
(5) Prescribe a reasonable time at which the person must appear to testify, a time within which to answer the written interrogatories, and a time within which the document or object must be produced;
(6) Advise the person that objections to or reasons for not complying with the demand may be filed with the Attorney General on or before that time;
(7) Specify a place for the taking of testimony or for production and designate a person who shall be custodian of the document or object; and
(8) Contain a copy of subsections (b) and (d) of this section.
(b) (1) If a person objects to or otherwise fails to comply with the written demand served upon him or her under subsection (a) of this section, the Attorney General may file an action in the circuit court for an order to enforce the demand.
(2) Venue for the action to enforce the demand shall be in Pulaski County.
(3) Notice of a hearing on the action to enforce the demand and a copy of the action shall be served upon the person in the same manner as that prescribed in the Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure.
(4) If the court finds that the demand is proper, that there is reasonable cause to believe there may have been a violation of this subchapter, and that the information sought or document or object demanded is relevant to the violation, it shall order the person to comply with the demand, subject to modifications the court may prescribe.
(c) If the person fails to comply with the order, the court may issue any of the following orders until the person complies with the order:
(1) Adjudging the person in contempt of court;
(2) Granting injunctive relief against the person to whom the demand is issued to restrain the conduct which is the subject of the investigation; or
(3) Granting other relief as the court may deem proper.
(d) The court may award to the Attorney General costs and reasonable attorney's fees as determined by the court against the person failing to obey the order.
(e) Upon motion by the person and for good cause shown, the court may make any further order in the proceedings that justice requires to protect the person from unreasonable annoyance, embarrassment, oppression, burden, or expense.