Rhode Island § 27-29-7 - Unfair Competition and Practices

§ 27-29-7. Judicial review of cease and desist orders.

(a) Any person required by an order of the insurance commissioner under § 27-29-6 to cease and desist from engaging in any unfair method of competition or any unfair or deceptive act or practice may obtain a review of the order by filing in the superior court of Providence County, within twenty (20) days from the date of service of the order, a written petition praying that the order of the insurance commissioner be set aside. A copy of the petition shall be served upon the insurance commissioner, after which the insurance commissioner shall certify and file in the court his or her transcript of the entire record in the proceeding, including all of the evidence taken and the report and order of the insurance commissioner. Upon the filing of the petition and transcript, the court shall have jurisdiction of the proceeding and of the question determined in it, shall determine whether the filing of the petition shall operate as a stay of the order of the insurance commissioner, and shall have the power to make and enter upon the pleadings, evidence, and proceedings set forth in the transcript a decree modifying, affirming, or reversing the order of the insurance commissioner, in whole or in part. The findings of the insurance commissioner as to the facts, if supported by the weight of the evidence, shall be conclusive.

(b) To the extent that the order of the insurance commissioner is affirmed, the court shall issue its own order commanding obedience to the terms of the order of the insurance commissioner. If either party shall apply to the court for leave to adduce additional evidence, and shall show to the satisfaction of the court that the additional evidence is material and that there were reasonable grounds for the failure to adduce the evidence in the proceeding before the insurance commissioner, the court may order the additional evidence to be taken before the insurance commissioner and to be adduced upon the hearing in the manner and upon the terms and conditions as the court may deem proper. The insurance commissioner may modify his or her findings of fact, or make new findings by reason of the additional evidence taken, and the commissioner shall file the modified or new findings which, if supported by competent evidence, shall be conclusive, and the commissioner’s recommendation, if any, for the modification or setting aside of his or her original order, with the return of the additional evidence.

(c) A cease and desist order issued by the insurance commissioner under § 27-29-6 shall become final:

(1) Upon the expiration of the time allowed for filing a petition for review if no petition has been duly filed within that time, except that the insurance commissioner may after this modify or set aside his or her order to the extent provided in § 27-29-6(b); or

(2) Upon the final decision of the court if the court directs that the order of the insurance commissioner be affirmed or the petition for review dismissed.

(d) No order of the insurance commissioner under this chapter or order of a court to enforce the order of the insurance commissioner shall in any way relieve or absolve any person affected by the order from any liability under any other laws of this state.