GA Code § 7-1-1017 (2021)
2021 Georgia Code|Title 7 - Banking and Finance|Chapter 1 - Financial Institutions|Article 13 - Licensing of Mortgage Lenders and Mortgage Brokers|§ 7-1-1017. Suspension or Revocation of Licenses, Registrations, or Mortgage Broker Education Approval; Notice; Judicial Review; Effect on Preexisting Contract

    The department may suspend or revoke an original or renewal license, registration, or mortgage broker education approval on any ground on which it might refuse to issue an original license, registration, or approval or for a violation of any provision of this article or of Chapter 6A of this title or any rule or regulation issued under this article or under Chapter 6A of this title, including failure to provide fees on a timely basis, or for failure of the licensee or registrant to pay, within 30 days after it becomes final, a judgment recovered in any court within this state by a claimant or creditor in an action arising out of the licensee's or registrant's business in this state as a mortgage loan originator, mortgage lender, or mortgage broker or for violation of a final order previously issued by the department.   Where an applicant or licensee has been found not in compliance with an order for child support as provided in Code Section 19-6-28.1 or 19-11-9.3, such action shall be sufficient grounds for refusal of a license or suspension of a license. In such actions, the hearing and appeal procedures provided for in those Code sections shall be the only such procedures required under this article. The department shall be permitted to share, without liability, information on its applications or other forms with appropriate state agencies to assist them in recovering child support when required by law.   Where an applicant or licensee has been found to be a borrower in default under the Georgia Higher Education Loan Program as determined by the Georgia Higher Education Assistance Corporation or has been certified by any entity of the federal government for nonpayment or default or breach of a repayment or service obligation under any federal educational loan, loan repayment, or service conditional scholarship program, such action shall not be grounds for refusal of a license or suspension of a license.     Notice of the department's intention to enter an order denying an application for a license or registration under this article or of an order suspending or revoking a license or registration under this article shall be given to the applicant, licensee, or registrant in writing, sent by registered or certified mail or statutory overnight delivery addressed to the principal place of business of such applicant, licensee, or registrant. Within 20 days of the date of the notice of intention to enter an order of denial, suspension, or revocation under this article, the applicant, licensee, or registrant may request in writing a hearing to contest the order. If a hearing is not requested in writing within 20 days of the date of such notice of intention, the department shall enter a final order regarding the denial, suspension, or revocation. Any final order of the department denying, suspending, or revoking a license or registration shall state the grounds upon which it is based and shall be effective on the date of issuance. A copy thereof shall be forwarded promptly by registered or certified mail or statutory overnight delivery addressed to the principal place of business of such applicant, licensee, or registrant. If a person refuses to accept service of the notice or order by registered or certified mail or statutory overnight delivery, the notice or order shall be served by the commissioner or the commissioner's authorized representative under any other method of lawful service; and the person shall be personally liable to the commissioner for a sum equal to the actual costs incurred to serve the notice or order. This liability shall be paid upon notice and demand by the commissioner or the commissioner's representative and shall be assessed and collected in the same manner as other fees or fines administered by the commissioner.   A licensee or registrant may, at the discretion of and with the consent of the department, agree to a voluntary suspension of its license or registration for a period of time to be agreed upon by the parties. Such order of suspension shall be considered a final order and shall be forwarded to the licensee or registrant in the same manner as any other final order. Grounds for such a voluntary suspension shall be the same as provided in subsection (a) of this Code section, and the licensee or registrant may waive its right to an administrative hearing before issuance of the suspension. With the consent of the department, a licensee or registrant may voluntarily surrender its license or registration. A voluntary surrender of a license or registration shall have the same effect as a revocation of said license or registration. A voluntary surrender of a license shall be regarded as a final order of the department.   A decision of the department denying a license or registration application, original or renewal, shall be conclusive, except that it may be subject to judicial review under Code Section 7-1-90. A decision of the department suspending or revoking a license or registration shall be subject to judicial review in the same manner as a decision of the department to take possession of the assets and business of a bank under Code Section 7-1-155.   Except as otherwise provided by law, a revocation, suspension, or surrender of a license or registration shall not impair or affect the obligation of a preexisting contract between the licensee and another person.   Nothing in this article shall preclude a mortgage broker or mortgage lender whose license or registration has been suspended or revoked from continuing to service mortgage loans pursuant to servicing contracts in existence at the time of the suspension or revocation for a period not to exceed six months after the date of the final order of the department suspending or revoking the license or registration.   Whenever a person subject to an order of the department fails to comply with the terms of such order which has been properly issued, the department upon notice of three days to such person may, through the Attorney General, petition the principal court for an order directing such person to obey the order of the department within the period of time fixed by the court. Upon the filing of such petition, the court shall allow a motion to show cause why such motion should not be granted. Whenever, after a hearing upon the merits or after failure of such person to appear when ordered, it shall appear that the order of the department was properly issued, the court shall grant the petition of the department.   Whenever the department initiates an administrative action against a current licensee or an applicant, the department may pursue that action to its conclusion despite the fact that a licensee may withdraw its license or fail to renew it or an applicant may withdraw its application.     (Code 1981, §7-1-1017, enacted by Ga. L. 1993, p. 543, § 1; Ga. L. 1994, p. 570, § 12; Ga. L. 1996, p. 453, § 2; Ga. L. 1997, p. 485, § 32; Ga. L. 1998, p. 795, § 31; Ga. L. 1998, p. 1094, § 4; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1589, § 3; Ga. L. 2003, p. 843, § 21; Ga. L. 2005, p. 826, § 36/SB 82; Ga. L. 2007, p. 502, § 39/SB 70; Ga. L. 2009, p. 252, § 1/HB 312; Ga. L. 2011, p. 518, § 17/HB 239; Ga. L. 2015, p. 344, § 34/HB 184; Ga. L. 2019, p. 462, § 1-4/SB 214; Ga. L. 2019, p. 828, § 36/HB 185.)    The 2019 amendments.  The first 2019 amendment, effective July 1, 2019, rewrote the first sentence of paragraph (a)(3), which read: "Where an applicant or licensee has been found to be a borrower in default as provided in Code Section 20-3-295, such action shall be sufficient grounds for refusal of a license or suspension of a license." and deleted the former last sentence, which read: "In such actions, the hearing and appeal procedures provided for in Code Section 20-3-295 shall be the only such procedures required under this article." The second 2019 amendment, effective July 1, 2019, deleted the paragraph (b)(1) designation and deleted former paragraph (b)(2), which read: "Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection, the department may issue a notice of intent to suspend license to a mortgage loan originator when such mortgage loan originator is no longer sponsored by a licensed or registered mortgage broker or lender. If the mortgage loan originator is sponsored by a licensed or registered mortgage broker or lender within 30 days of the date of issuance of the notice of intent to suspend, such notice shall be rescinded. If the mortgage loan originator is not sponsored by a licensed or registered mortgage broker or lender within 30 days of the date of such issuance, the mortgage loan originator license shall automatically expire after 30 days and the person shall not act as a mortgage loan originator unless a new license application is submitted, all applicable fees are paid, and a license is issued by the department."   Code Commission notes.   - Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 1998, Ga. L. 1998, p. 795, § 31 and Ga. L. 1998, p. 1094, § 4, both amended this Code section. These amendments conflicted in the last sentence of paragraph (2) of subsection (a). This sentence was added in 1997 by Ga. L. 1997, p. 485, § 32. It was determined that the omission of the last sentence of paragraph (2) of subsection (a) by Ga. L. 1998, p. 1094, § 4 was inadvertent and thus the amendments were construed together to read as set out above.   Editor's notes.   - Ga. L. 2000, p. 1589, § 16, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that the 2000 amendment applied with respect to notices delivered on or after July 1, 2000.   JUDICIAL DECISIONS   Failure to pay judgment.    - Strictly limited to the plain meaning of the language employed in the Georgia Residential Mortgage Act, O.C.G.A. § 7-1-1017(a)(1), does not mandate that a mortgage lender pay a judgment within 30 days, but rather, the statute simply gives the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance the discretion to suspend or revoke a mortgage lender's license for failure to pay, within 30 days of it becoming final, a judgment arising from the lender's mortgage business; this statutorily-created administrative remedy cannot be extended beyond its plain terms to create an additional private cause of action against a mortgage lender's bond based on a failure to pay a judgment. Hartford Fire Ins. Co. v. iFreedom Direct Corp., 312 Ga. App. 262, 718 S.E.2d 103 (2011), cert. denied, No. S12C0408, 2012 Ga. LEXIS 246 (Ga. 2012).    Alternative language used in the Georgia Residential Mortgage Act, O.C.G.A. § 7-1-1017(a)(1), stating that the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance may revoke a license for a violation of the Act or failure to pay a final judgment, clearly shows that violating the Act and failing to pay a judgment are separate and distinct matters. Hartford Fire Ins. Co. v. iFreedom Direct Corp., 312 Ga. App. 262, 718 S.E.2d 103 (2011), cert. denied, No. S12C0408, 2012 Ga. LEXIS 246 (Ga. 2012).   Acts not covered by bond.    - Trial court erred in granting a purchaser summary judgment and in denying an insurer summary judgment in the purchaser's action to recover against a bond the insurer issued to a mortgage lender under the Georgia Residential Mortgage Act, O.C.G.A. § 7-1-1000 et seq., because the acts that gave rise to the judgment the purchaser obtained against the lender occurred before the bond was in effect, and the lender's failure to pay the judgment was not an act that authorized recovery against the bond; the bond did not contain a specific covenant extending liability to acts prior to the bond's execution. Hartford Fire Ins. Co. v. iFreedom Direct Corp., 312 Ga. App. 262, 718 S.E.2d 103 (2011), cert. denied, No. S12C0408, 2012 Ga. LEXIS 246 (Ga. 2012).