Sec. 202. Effect of Violations on Rights of Parties — (1) If a creditor has violated the provision of this Article applying to limitations on the schedule of payments or loan term for supervised loans (IC 24-4.5-3-511), the debtor is not obligated to pay the loan finance charge, and has a right to recover from the person violating this Article or from an assignee of that person’s rights who undertakes direct collection of payments or enforcement of rights arising from the debt a penalty in an amount determined by the court not in excess of three times the amount of the loan finance charge. No action pursuant to this subsection may be brought more than one (1) year after the due date of the last scheduled payment of the agreement with respect to which the violation occurred.

     (2) If a creditor has violated the provisions of this Article applying to authority to make consumer loans (IC 24-4.5-3-502), the loan is void and the debtor is not obligated to pay either the principal or loan finance charge. If the debtor has paid any part of the principal or of the loan finance charge, the debtor has a right to recover the payment from the person violating this Article or from an assignee of that person’s rights who undertakes direct collection of payments or enforcement of rights arising from the debt. With respect to violations arising from loans made pursuant to revolving loan accounts, no action pursuant to this subsection may be brought more than two (2) years after the violation occurred. With respect to violations arising from other loans, no action pursuant to this subsection may be brought more than one (1) year after the due date of the last scheduled payment of the agreement pursuant to which the charge was paid.

     (3) A debtor is not obligated to pay a charge in excess of that allowed by this Article, and if the debtor has paid an excess charge the debtor has a right to a refund. A refund may be made by reducing the debtor’s obligation by the amount of the excess charge. If the debtor has paid an amount in excess of the lawful obligation under the agreement, the debtor may recover the excess amount from the person who made the excess charge or from an assignee of that person’s rights who undertakes direct collection of payments from or enforcement of rights against debtors arising from the debt.

     (4) If a debtor is entitled to a refund and a person liable to the debtor refuses to make a refund within a reasonable time after demand, the debtor may recover from that person a penalty in an amount determined by a court not exceeding the greater of either the amount of the credit service or loan finance charge or ten (10) times the amount of the excess charge. If the creditor has made an excess charge in deliberate violation of or in reckless disregard for this Article, the penalty may be recovered even though the creditor has refunded the excess charge. No penalty pursuant to this subsection may be recovered if a court has ordered a similar penalty assessed against the same person in a civil action by the department (IC 24-4.5-6-113). With respect to excess charges arising from sales made pursuant to revolving charge accounts or from loans made pursuant to revolving loan accounts, no action pursuant to this subsection may be brought more than two (2) years after the time the excess charge was made. With respect to excess charges arising from other consumer credit sales or consumer loans, no action pursuant to this subsection may be brought more than one (1) year after the due date of the last scheduled payment of the agreement pursuant to which the charge was made.

     (5) Except as otherwise provided, no violation of this Article impairs rights on a debt.

     (6) If an employer discharges an employee in violation of the provisions prohibiting discharge (IC 24-4.5-5-106), the employee may within six (6) months bring a civil action for recovery of wages lost as a result of the violation and for an order requiring the reinstatement of the employee. Damages recoverable shall not exceed lost wages for six (6) weeks.

     (7) If the creditor establishes by a preponderance of evidence that a violation is unintentional or the result of a bona fide error, no liability is imposed under subsections (1), (2), and (4) and the validity of the transaction is not affected.

     (8) In any case in which it is found that a creditor has violated this Article, the court may award reasonable attorney‘s fees incurred by the debtor.

     (9) The department may act on behalf of a debtor to enforce the debtor’s rights under this section against a creditor who is licensed or registered with the department or is required to be licensed or registered with the department.

Formerly: Acts 1971, P.L.366, SEC.6. As amended by P.L.14-1992, SEC.43; P.L.122-1994, SEC.31; P.L.172-1997, SEC.8.