Section 55-9-625 - Remedies for secured party's failure to comply with article.
55-9-625. Remedies for secured party's failure to comply with article.
(a) If it is established that a secured party is not proceeding in accordance with Chapter 55, Article 9 NMSA 1978, a court may order or restrain collection, enforcement or disposition of collateral on appropriate terms and conditions.
(b) Subject to Subsections (c), (d) and (f) of this section, a person is liable for damages in the amount of any loss caused by a failure to comply with Chapter 55, Article 9 NMSA 1978. Loss caused by a failure to comply may include loss resulting from the debtor's inability to obtain, or increased costs of, alternative financing.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in Section 55-9-628 NMSA 1978:
(1) a person that, at the time of the failure, was a debtor, was an obligor or held a security interest in or other lien on the collateral may recover damages under Subsection (b) of this section for its loss; and
(2) if the collateral is consumer goods, a person that was a debtor or a secondary obligor at the time a secured party failed to comply with this part may recover for that failure in any event an amount not less than the credit service charge plus ten percent of the principal amount of the obligation or the time-price differential plus ten percent of the cash price.
(d) A debtor whose deficiency is eliminated under Section 55-9-626 NMSA 1978 may recover damages for the loss of any surplus. However, a debtor or secondary obligor whose deficiency is eliminated or reduced under Section 55-9-626 NMSA 1978 may not otherwise recover under Subsection (b) of this section for noncompliance with the provisions of Sections 55-9-601 through 55-9-628 NMSA 1978 relating to collection, enforcement, disposition or acceptance.
(e) In addition to any damages recoverable under Subsection (b) of this section, the debtor, consumer obligor or person named as a debtor in a filed record, as applicable, may recover five hundred dollars ($500) in each case from a person that:
(1) fails to comply with Section 55-9-208 NMSA 1978;
(2) fails to comply with Section 55-9-209 NMSA 1978;
(3) files a record that the person is not entitled to file under Subsection (a) of Section 55-9-509 NMSA 1978;
(4) fails to cause the secured party of record to file or send a termination statement as required by Subsection (a) or (c) of Section 55-9-513 NMSA 1978;
(5) fails to comply with Paragraph (1) of Subsection (b) of Section 55-9-616 NMSA 1978 and whose failure is part of a pattern, or consistent with a practice, of noncompliance; or
(6) fails to comply with Paragraph (2) of Subsection (b) of Section 55-9-616 NMSA 1978.
(f) A debtor or consumer obligor may recover damages under Subsection (b) of this section and, in addition, five hundred dollars ($500) in each case from a person that, without reasonable cause, fails to comply with a request under Section 55-9-210 NMSA 1978. A recipient of a request under Section 55-9-210 NMSA 1978 that never claimed an interest in the collateral or obligations that are the subject of a request under that section has a reasonable excuse for failure to comply with the request within the meaning of this subsection.
(g) If a secured party fails to comply with a request regarding a list of collateral or a statement of account under Section 55-9-210 NMSA 1978, the secured party may claim a security interest only as shown in the list or statement included in the request as against a person that is reasonably misled by the failure.