(a)  Any person upon conviction of acting or representing themselves to be a state-certified or licensed real estate appraiser or performing the duties of a certified or licensed real estate appraiser as defined within this chapter without first obtaining a certification or license is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500), or by imprisonment for a term not to exceed one year, or both; and if a corporation, by a fine of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) nor more than two thousand dollars ($2,000). Any person upon conviction of a second or subsequent offense is punishable by a fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by imprisonment for a term not to exceed two (2) years, or both; and if a corporation, by a fine of not less than two thousand dollars ($2,000) nor more than five thousand dollars ($5,000).

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 5-20.7-21

  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
  • Real estate: means an identified parcel or tract of land, including improvements, if any. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-20.7-2

(b)  In case any person has received any money, or the equivalent of money, as a fee, commission, compensation, or profit by or in consequence of a violation of any provision of this chapter, he or she shall, in addition, be liable to a penalty of not less than the amount of this sum or money so received and not more than three (3) times the sum received, as may be determined by the court, which penalty may be recovered in any court of competent jurisdiction by any person aggrieved together with all reasonable attorney’s fees and costs incurred in the prosecution of the action.

History of Section.
P.L. 1990, ch. 424, § 1; P.L. 1992, ch. 275, § 1.