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- Sec. 30121. Provisional
notification and civil actions to enforce
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- PROVISIONAL NOTIFICATION
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- The Secretary of
Transportation may order a manufacturer
to issue a provisional notification if a
civil action about an order issued under
section 30118(b) of this title has been
brought under section 30163 of this title.
The provisional notification shall
contain
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- a statement
that the Secretary has decided
that a defect related to motor
vehicle safety or noncompliance
with a motor vehicle safety
standard prescribed under this
chapter exists and that the
manufacturer is contesting the
decision in a civil action in a
United States district court;
- a clear
description of the Secretary's
stated basis for the decision;
- the
Secretary's evaluation of the
risk to motor vehicle safety
reasonably related to the defect
or noncompliance;
- measures the
Secretary considers necessary to
avoid an unreasonable risk to
motor vehicle safety resulting
from the defect or noncompliance;
- a statement
that the manufacturer will remedy
the defect or noncompliance
without charge under section
30120 of this title, but that the
requirement to remedy without
charge is conditioned on the
outcome of the civil action; and
- other
information the Secretary
prescribes by regulation or
includes in the order requiring
the notice.
- A notification under
this subsection does not relieve a
manufacturer of liability for not giving
notification required by an order under
section 30118(b) of this title.
- CIVIL ACTIONS FOR NOT
NOTIFYING
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- A manufacturer that
does not notify owners and purchasers
under section 30119(c) and (d) of this
title is liable to the United States
Government for a civil penalty, unless
the manufacturer prevails in a civil
action referred to in subsection (a) of
this section or the court in that action
enjoins enforcement of the order.
Enforcement may be enjoined only if the
court decides that the failure to notify
is reasonable and that the manufacturer
has demonstrated the likelihood of
prevailing on the merits. If enforcement
is enjoined, the manufacturer is not
liable during the time the order is
stayed.
- A manufacturer that
does not notify owners and purchasers as
required under subsection (a) of this
section is liable for a civil penalty
regardless of whether the manufacturer
prevails in an action on the validity of
the order issued under section 30118(b)
of this title.
- ORDERS TO MANUFACTURERS If
the Secretary prevails in a civil action referred
to in subsection (a) of this section, the
Secretary shall order the manufacturer
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- to notify each owner,
purchaser, and dealer described in
section 30119(d) of this title of the
outcome of the action and other
information the Secretary requires, and
notification under this clause may be
combined with notification required under
section 30118(b) of this title;
- to specify the
earliest date under section 30119(b) of
this title on which the defect or
noncompliance will be remedied without
charge under section 30120 of this title;
and
- if notification was
required under subsection (a) of this
section, to reimburse an owner or
purchaser for reasonable and necessary
expenses (in an amount that is not more
than the amount specified in the order of
the Secretary under subsection (a))
incurred for repairing the defect or
noncompliance during the period beginning
on the date that notification was
required to be issued and ending on the
date the owner or purchaser receives the
notification under this subsection.
- VENUE Notwithstanding
section 30163(c) of this title, a civil action
about an order issued under section 30118(b) of
this title must be brought in the United States
district court for a judicial district in the
State in which the manufacturer is incorporated
or the District of Columbia. On motion of a
party, the court may transfer the action to
another district court if good cause is shown.
All actions related to the same order under
section 30118(b) shall be consolidated in an
action in one judicial district under an order of
the court in which the first action was brought.
If the first action is transferred to another
court, that court shall issue the consolidation
order.
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