TITLE 16

JUVENILE PROCEEDINGS

CHAPTER 16

CHILD PROTECTIVE ACT

16-1607.  Reporting in bad faith — Civil damages. Any person who makes a report or allegation of child abuse, abandonment or neglect knowing the same to be false or who reports or alleges the same in bad faith or with malice shall be liable to the party or parties against whom the report was made for the amount of actual damages sustained or statutory damages of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500), whichever is greater, plus attorney’s fees and costs of suit. If the court finds that the defendant acted with malice or oppression, the court may award treble actual damages or treble statutory damages, whichever is greater.

History:

[(16-1607) 16-1620A, added 1995, ch. 276, sec. 1, p. 924; am. and redesig. 2005, ch. 391, sec. 9, p. 1274; am. 2007, ch. 128, sec. 1, p. 385.]