Montana Code 16-10-204. Determining cost — prices below cost — free merchandise
16-10-204. Determining cost — prices below cost — free merchandise. (1) In determining the cost to the retailer and the cost to the wholesaler, the department or a court shall receive and consider evidence tending to show that any person accused of violating the provisions of this chapter purchased cigarettes, with respect to the sale of which complaint is made, below either the cost to the retailer or the cost to the wholesaler, depending upon the status of the person accused, or upon terms or in a manner or under invoices that conceal the true cost, discounts, or terms of purchase. Further, the department or a court shall receive and consider evidence of the normal, customary, and prevailing terms and discounts in connection with other sales of a similar nature in this state.
Terms Used In Montana Code 16-10-204
- Cigarettes: means any roll for smoking made wholly or in part of tobacco, irrespective of size or shape and whether or not the tobacco is flavored, adulterated, or mixed with any other ingredient, the wrapper or cover of which is made of nontobacco paper or any other substance or material except tobacco. See Montana Code 16-10-103
- Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
- cost to the retailer: means the cost to the wholesaler from whom the cigarettes were purchased by the retailer plus the cost of doing business by the retailer as evidenced by the standards and methods of accounting regularly employed by the retailer in the retailer's determination of costs for income tax reporting purposes for the total operation of the retailer's establishment. See Montana Code 16-10-103
- cost to the wholesaler: means the basic cost of cigarettes purchased by the wholesaler from a manufacturer plus the cost of doing business by the wholesaler as evidenced by the standards and methods of accounting regularly employed by the wholesaler in the wholesaler's determination of costs for income tax reporting purposes for the total operation of the wholesaler's business. See Montana Code 16-10-103
- Customary: means according to usage. See Montana Code 1-1-206
- Department: means the department of revenue provided for in 2-15-1301 and, when the meaning of the context requires, includes its employees. See Montana Code 16-10-103
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Manufacturer: means any person who fabricates cigarettes from raw materials for the purpose of resale. See Montana Code 16-10-103
- Person: means an individual, firm, association, company, partnership, corporation, or other business entity, however formed. See Montana Code 16-10-103
- Retailer: means a person who operates a store, stand, booth, concession, or other outlet for the purpose of selling cigarettes at retail. See Montana Code 16-10-103
- State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Montana Code 1-1-201
- Wholesaler: means a person who services retail outlets by maintaining an established place of business for the purchase of cigarettes and who:
(a)purchases cigarettes from a manufacturer for the purpose of selling cigarettes to retailers; or
(b)purchases cigarettes from a sole distributor, another wholesaler, or any other person for the purpose of selling cigarettes to retailers. See Montana Code 16-10-103
(2)Merchandise given gratis or payment made to a retailer or wholesaler by the manufacturer of the merchandise for display, advertising, promotion purposes, any type of discount, or otherwise may not be considered in determining the cost of cigarettes to the retailer or wholesaler.