595 - Grounds for suspension or revocation of license, or suspension or deletion of name from mortgage broker roll.
§ 595. Grounds for suspension or revocation of license, or suspension or deletion of name from mortgage broker roll. 1. The superintendent may revoke any license to engage in the business of a mortgage banker issued pursuant to this article or delete the name of a mortgage broker from the roll of mortgage brokers registered pursuant to this article if he shall find that: (a) Through a course of conduct, the licensee or registrant has violated any provisions of this article, or any rule or regulation promulgated by the banking board, or any rule or regulation prescribed by the superintendent under and within the authority of this article or of any other law, rule or regulation of this state or the federal government; (b) Any fact or condition exists which, if it had existed at the time of the original application for such license or registration, would have warranted the superintendent in refusing originally to issue such license; (c) The commission by a licensee or registrant of a crime against the laws of this state or any other state or of the United States involving moral turpitude or fraudulent or dishonest dealing, or the entry of a final judgment against a licensee or registrant in a civil action upon grounds of fraud, misrepresentation or deceit; (d) As a part of such determination regarding suspension or revocation, the superintendent is authorized to require the fingerprinting of any licensee or registrant. Such fingerprints shall be submitted to the division of criminal justice services for a state criminal history record check, as defined in subdivision one of section three thousand thirty-five of the education law, and may be submitted to the federal bureau of investigation for a national criminal history record check. 2. The superintendent may, on good cause shown, or where there is a substantial risk of public harm, suspend any license or delete the name of any registrant for a period not exceeding thirty days, pending investigation. "Good cause", as used in this subdivision, shall exist only when the licensee or registrant has defaulted or is likely to default in performing its financial engagements or engages in dishonest or inequitable practices which may cause substantial harm to the persons afforded the protection of this article. 3. Except as provided in subdivision two of this section, no license or registration shall be revoked or suspended except after notice and a hearing thereon. Any order of suspension issued after notice and a hearing may include as a condition of reinstatement that the licensee or registrant make restitution to consumers of fees or other charges which have been improperly charged or collected as determined by the superintendent. 4. Any licensee or registrant may surrender any license or certificate by delivering to the superintendent written notice that it thereby surrenders such license or certificate, but such surrender shall not affect such licensee's or registrant's civil or criminal liability for acts committed prior to such surrender. If such surrender is made after the issuance by the superintendent of a statement of charges and notice of hearing, the superintendent may proceed against the licensee or registrant as if such surrender had not taken place. 4-a. An expiration of registration in accordance with section five hundred ninety-two-a of this article shall not affect such registrant's civil or criminal liability for acts committed prior to such expirations. If such expiration occurs after the issuance by the superintendent of a statement of charges and notice of hearing, thesuperintendent may proceed against the registrant as if such expiration had not taken place. 5. No revocation, suspension, surrender or expiration of any license or certificate shall impair or affect the obligation of any preexisting lawful contract between the licensee or registrant and any person. 6. Every license or registration issued pursuant to this article shall remain in force and effect until the same shall have expired in accordance with section five hundred ninety-two-a of this article or shall have been surrendered, revoked or suspended in accordance with any other provisions of this article, but the superintendent shall have authority to reinstate a suspended license or certificate or to issue a new license or certificate to a licensee or registrant whose license or registration shall have been revoked if no fact or condition then exists which would have warranted the superintendent in refusing originally to issue such license or registration under this article. 7. Whenever the superintendent shall revoke or suspend a license or registration issued pursuant to this article, he shall forthwith execute in duplicate a written order to that effect. The superintendent shall file one copy of such order in the office of the department of banking and shall forthwith serve the other copy upon the licensee or registrant. Any such order may be reviewed in the manner provided by article seventy-eight of the civil practice law and rules. Such application for review as authorized by this section must be made within thirty days from the date of such order of suspension or revocation. 7-a. Whenever a registration shall have expired in accordance with section five hundred ninety-two-a of this article, the superintendent shall notify the registrant that the registration has expired and that the registrant may not engage in the business of soliciting, processing, placing or negotiating a mortgage loan or offering to solicit, process, place or negotiate a mortgage loan in this state. 8. Any hearing held pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be noticed, conducted and administered in compliance with the state administrative procedure act.