(a)CA 商业与专业 Code § 6158.4(a) 任何声称违反第6158、6158.1或6158.3条规定的人,可以向州律师协会提出投诉,投诉应说明广告商的名称、声称违反这些条款的广告描述,并具体指出所指控的违规行为。投诉副本应同时送达广告商。广告商应自投诉送达之日起九日内,自愿撤回作为投诉对象的广告。如果广告商选择撤回广告,广告商应将该事实通知州律师协会,投诉人不得再采取进一步行动。广告商应在投诉送达之日起七日内向州律师协会提供被投诉广告的副本以供审查。在收到被投诉广告之日起二十一日内,州律师协会应确定是否存在违反这些条款的实质性证据。审查应由一名在律师广告领域具有专业知识的州律师协会律师进行。
(b)Copy CA 商业与专业 Code § 6158.4(b)
(1)Copy CA 商业与专业 Code § 6158.4(b)(1) 经州律师协会认定存在违规的实质性证据后,如果被许可人或经认证的律师转介服务机构在七十二小时内撤回该广告,投诉人不得再采取进一步行动。
(2)CA 商业与专业 Code § 6158.4(b)(2) 经州律师协会认定存在违规的实质性证据后,如果被许可人或经认证的律师转介服务机构未能在七十二小时内撤回该广告,则可自州律师协会决定之日起一年内,根据 (e) 款提起民事强制执行诉讼。如果被许可人或经认证的律师转介服务机构在州律师协会认定存在违规的实质性证据后撤回广告,但随后又重新播放同一广告,且在根据 (c) 或 (e) 款提起的诉讼中,事实认定者未认定该广告不违反第6158、6158.1或6158.3条规定,则可自重新播放之日起一年内提起民事强制执行诉讼。
(3)CA 商业与专业 Code § 6158.4(b)(3) 经认定不存在违规的实质性证据后,投诉人不得根据 (e) 款提起民事强制执行诉讼,但可以根据 (c) 款提起宣告性救济诉讼。
(c)CA 商业与专业 Code § 6158.4(c) 任何作为投诉对象的被许可人或经认证的律师转介服务机构,以及任何受州律师协会决定影响的投诉人,均可在高等法院提起宣告性救济诉讼,以获得关于第6158、6158.1或6158.3条是否被违反的司法宣告,并且,如果适用,还可以请求禁令救济。任何其他可依法提出的抗辩,包括任何宪法挑战,均可在宣告性救济诉讼中首次提出。根据 (e) 款提起的任何民事强制执行诉讼,在宣告性救济诉讼解决之前应予中止。该诉讼应由实际利害关系人进行抗辩。除非州律师协会选择介入诉讼,否则不应被视为诉讼当事人。
(1)CA 商业与专业 Code § 6158.4(c)(1) 经州律师协会认定存在违规的实质性证据后,如果投诉人或被许可人或经认证的律师转介服务机构提起宣告性救济诉讼,以获得关于该广告是否违反第6158、6158.1或6158.3条的司法宣告,且法院宣告该广告违反其中一条或多条规定,则如果被许可人或经认证的律师转介服务机构未能在州律师协会决定之日起七十二小时内撤回该广告,可提起或维持根据 (e) 款的民事强制执行诉讼。法院关于广告违反第6158、6158.1或6158.3条的裁决,如果该约束力得到附带禁止反言原则或既判力原则的支持,应对根据 (e) 款提起的任何正在进行或未来的民事强制执行诉讼中关于广告是否违法的问题具有约束力。
如果在该宣告性救济诉讼中,法院宣告该广告不违反第6158、6158.1或6158.3条,则被许可人或律师转介服务机构可以播放该广告。法院关于广告不违反第6158、6158.1或6158.3条的裁决,如果该禁止效力得到附带禁止反言原则或既判力原则的支持,应禁止根据 (e) 款提起的任何正在进行或未来的民事强制执行诉讼。
(2)CA 商业与专业 Code § 6158.4(2) If, following a State Bar determination that does not find substantial evidence that an advertisement violates Section 6158, 6158.1, or 6158.3, the complainant or the licensee or certified lawyer referral service brings an action for declaratory relief to obtain a judicial declaration of whether the advertisement violates Section 6158, 6158.1, or 6158.3, and the court declares that the advertisement violates one or more of the sections, a civil enforcement action pursuant to subdivision (e) may be filed or maintained if the licensee or certified lawyer referral service broadcasts the same advertisement following the decision in the declaratory relief action. The decision of the court that an advertisement violates Section 6158, 6158.1, or 6158.3 shall be binding on the issue of whether
the advertisement is unlawful in any pending or prospective civil enforcement action brought pursuant to subdivision (e) if that binding effect is supported by the doctrine of collateral estoppel or res judicata.
If, in that declaratory relief action, the court declares that the advertisement does not violate Section 6158, 6158.1, or 6158.3, the licensee or lawyer referral service may continue broadcast of the advertisement. The decision of the court that an advertisement does not violate Section 6158, 6158.1, or 6158.3 shall bar any pending or prospective civil enforcement action brought pursuant to subdivision (e) if that prohibitive effect is supported by the doctrine of collateral estoppel or res judicata.
(d)CA 商业与专业 Code § 6158.4(d) The State Bar review procedure shall apply only to licensees and certified referral services. A direct civil enforcement action for a violation of Section 6158, 6158.1, or 6158.3 may be
maintained against any other advertiser after first giving 14 days’ notice to the advertiser of the alleged violation. If the advertiser does not withdraw from broadcast the advertisement that is the subject of the notice within 14 days of service of the notice, a civil enforcement action pursuant to subdivision (e) may be commenced. The civil enforcement action shall be commenced within one year of the date of the last publication or broadcast of the advertisement that is the subject of the action.
(e)CA 商业与专业 Code § 6158.4(e) Subject to Section 6158.5, a violation of Section 6158, 6158.1, or 6158.3 shall be cause for a civil enforcement action brought by any person residing within the State of California for an amount up to five thousand dollars ($5,000) for each individual broadcast that violates Section 6158, 6158.1, or 6158.3. Venue shall be in a county where the advertisement was broadcast.
(f)CA 商业与专业 Code § 6158.4(f) In
any civil action brought pursuant to this section, the matter shall be determined according to the law and procedure relating to the trial of civil actions, including trial by jury, if demanded.
(g)CA 商业与专业 Code § 6158.4(g) The decision of the State Bar pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be admissible in the civil enforcement action brought pursuant to subdivision (e). However, the State Bar shall not be a party or a witness in either a declaratory relief proceeding brought pursuant to subdivision (c) or the civil enforcement action brought pursuant to subdivision (e). Additionally, no direct action may be filed against the State Bar challenging the State Bar’s decision pursuant to subdivision (a).
(h)CA 商业与专业 Code § 6158.4(h) Amounts recovered pursuant to this section shall be paid into the Client Security Fund maintained by the State Bar.
(i)CA 商业与专业 Code § 6158.4(i) In any civil action
brought pursuant to this section, the court shall award attorney’s fees pursuant to Section 1021.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure if the court finds that the action has resulted in the enforcement of an important public interest or that a significant benefit has been conferred on the public.
(j)CA 商业与专业 Code § 6158.4(j) The State Bar shall maintain records of all complainants and complaints filed pursuant to subdivision (a) for a period of seven years. If a complainant files five or more unfounded complaints within seven years, the complainant shall be considered a vexatious litigant for purposes of this section. The State Bar shall require any person deemed a vexatious litigant to post security in the minimum amount of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) prior to considering any complaint filed by that person and shall refrain from taking any action until the security is posted. In any civil action arising from this section brought by a person deemed a vexatious
litigant, the defendant may advise the court and trier of fact that the plaintiff is deemed to be a vexatious litigant under the provisions of this section and disclose the basis for this determination.
(k)CA 商业与专业 Code § 6158.4(k) Nothing in this section shall restrict any other right available under existing law or otherwise available to a citizen seeking redress for false, misleading, or deceptive advertisements.