1. Any person who violates any provision of this chapter or any rule or order issued by the commissioner thereunder is liable to the franchisee or subfranchisor who may bring an action for damages, for rescission, or for such other relief as the court may deem appropriate. 2. Every person who directly or indirectly controls a person liable under subsection 1, every partner in a firm so liable, every principal executive officer or director of a corporation so liable, every president or governor of a limited liability company so liable, every person occupying a similar status or performing similar functions, and every employee of a person so liable who materially aids in the act or transaction constituting the violation is also liable jointly and severally with and to the same extent as such person, unless the other person who is so liable had no knowledge of or reasonable grounds to believe in the existence of the facts by reason of which the liability is alleged to exist. 3. In any action under this section, the franchisee or subfranchisor, if successful, is also entitled to costs and disbursements plus reasonable attorney's fees. 4. No franchisee or subfranchisor may file or maintain an action under this section if the person received a written offer before the action was commenced and at a time when the person owned the franchise to refund the consideration paid together with interest at the rate of seven percent per annum from the date of purchase, less the amount of income received on the franchise, conditioned only upon tender by the franchisee or subfranchisor of all items received by the person for the consideration and not sold, and failed to accept the offer within thirty days of its receipt or if the franchisee received the offer before the action was commenced and at a time when the person did not own the franchise, unless the person rejected the offer in writing within thirty days of its receipt; provided, that in either instance the offering documents and rescission prospectus must be submitted to the commissioner for approval at least fifteen days prior to submission to the franchisee or subfranchisor. The rescission offer must recite the provisions of this section. If the franchise involves a substantial building or substantial equipment and a significant period of time has elapsed since the sale of the franchise, the commissioner, in approving a rescission offer, may approve an equitable offer recognizing depreciation, amortization, and other factors which bear upon the value of the franchise being returned to the franchisor. 5. No action may be brought under this section after five years from the date that the aggrieved party knew or reasonably should have known about the facts that are the basis for the alleged violation. This subsection does not apply to any action under sections 51-19-09 and 51-19-11. 6. Except as explicitly provided in this section, no civil liability in favor of any private party may arise against any person by implication from or as a result of the violation of any provision of this chapter or any rule or order issued by the commissioner thereunder. Nothing herein limits any liability which may exist by virtue of any other statute or under common law if this chapter were not in effect.
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