§ 32. Injunction proceedings

Whenever the Department of Public Service is of the opinion that a company subject to its supervision is failing or omitting or is about to fail or omit to do anything required of it by law or by order of the Commission or is doing anything or permitting anything or is about to do anything or to permit anything to be done contrary to or in violation of law or of any order of the Commission, the Department of Public Service may commence an action or proceeding in the Superior Court for the purpose of having such violations or threatened violations stopped and prevented by injunction. Such action or proceeding shall begin by a petition alleging the violation complained of and praying for appropriate relief by way of injunction. It shall thereupon be the duty of the court to specify the time, not exceeding 21 days after service of a copy of the petition, within which the company complained of must answer the petition, and the court may grant a temporary injunction in accordance with the laws of the State and rules in such case made and provided. The obtaining of a temporary injunction shall constitute a waiver by the State of its sovereign immunity to pay the person enjoined damages as such person may sustain by reason for such injunction if the court shall eventually decide that the State was not equitably entitled thereto and the State shall be liable to pay to the person enjoined such sums as would be payable by any other person in the premises. In case of default in answer, or after answer, the court shall immediately inquire into the facts and circumstances in such manner as the court directs without other or formal pleadings and without respect to any technical requirement. Such other persons or corporations as it shall seem to the court necessary or proper to join as parties in order to make its order, judgment, or writs effective may be joined as parties upon application of counsel to the Department. The final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall either dismiss the action or proceeding or direct that an injunction be issued as prayed for in the petition or in such modified form as the court may determine will afford appropriate relief. (Added 1961, No. 263, § 11, eff. July 31, 1961; amended 1979, No. 204 (Adj. Sess.), § 18, eff. Feb. 1, 1981.)