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Section 12GN Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act
Power of Court to prohibit payment or transfer of money or other property

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Division 2, subdivision G of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 contains enforcement and remedy provisions relating to unfair contract terms, unconscionable conduct and consumer protections relating to the provision of financial services and products.

These include offence provisions relating to consumer protections contained in subdivision D, pecuniary penalty orders (fines), provisions relating to criminal and civil proceedings, injunctions, the required state of mind (intention, knowledge, recklessness and negligence) and defences.

Section 12GN is titled Power of Court to prohibit payment or transfer of money or other property and forms part of that subdivision.

The section is extracted below.

For results-focused representation from a law firm that is vastly experienced in assisting clients with ASIC investigations and prosecutions, call Sydney Criminal Lawyers® today on (02) 9261 8881 and let our trusted, multi-award Corporate Crime and Compliance Lawyers help you.

The Legislation

Power of Court to prohibit payment or transfer of money or other property

(1) If:
(a) proceedings have been commenced against a person for an offence against section 12GB; or
(b) an application has been made under section 12GD for an injunction against a person in relation to a contravention of a provision of this Division; or
(c) an action has been commenced under subsection 12GF(1) or 12GFA(1) or (2) against a person in relation to a contravention of a provision of Subdivision D (sections 12DA to 12DN); or
(d) an application for an order under subsection 12GM(2) or (3) or 12GNB(1) has been or may be made against a person in relation to a contravention of a provision of this Division;
the Court may, on the application of the Minister or ASIC, make an order or orders mentioned in subsection (2) if the Court is satisfied that:
(e) it is necessary or desirable to do so for the purpose of preserving money or other property held by or on behalf of a person referred to in paragraph (a), (b), (c) or (d), as the case may be (the relevant person ), if the relevant person is liable or may become liable under this Division to pay money by way of a fine, damages, compensation, refund or otherwise or to transfer, sell or refund other property; and
(f) it will not unduly prejudice the rights and interests of any other person.

(2) The orders referred to in subsection (1) are the following:
(a) an order prohibiting, either absolutely or subject to conditions, a person who is indebted to the relevant person or to an associate of the relevant person from making a payment in total or partial discharge of the debt to, or to another person at the direction or request of, the person to whom the debt is owed;
(b) an order prohibiting, either absolutely or subject to conditions, a person who is holding money or other property on behalf of the relevant person or on behalf of an associate of the relevant person from paying all or any of the money, or transferring, or otherwise parting with possession of, the other property, to, or to another person at the direction or request of, the person on whose behalf the money or other property is held;
(c) an order prohibiting, either absolutely or subject to conditions, the taking or sending by any person of money of the relevant person or of an associate of the relevant person to a place outside the State or Territory in which the money is held;
(d) an order prohibiting, either absolutely or subject to conditions, the taking, sending or transfer by any person of other property of the relevant person or of an associate of the relevant person to a place outside the State or Territory in which the other property is located;
(e) an order appointing, if the relevant person is a natural person, a receiver or trustee of the property or of part of the property of the relevant person with such powers as are specified in the order.

(3) Subject to subsection (4), an order under this section may be expressed to operate:
(a) for a period specified in the order; or
(b) until proceedings under any other provision of this Part in relation to which the order was made have been concluded.

(4) An order under this section made on an application ex parte must not be expressed to operate for a period exceeding 30 days.

(5) A person who contravenes or fails to comply with an order by the Court under this section that is applicable to the person is guilty of an offence.
Penalty: 200 penalty units.

(5A) Subsection (5) is an offence of strict liability.
Note: For strict liability , see section 6.1 of the Criminal Code .

(6) Nothing in this section affects the powers that the Court has apart from this section.

(7) This section has effect subject to the Bankruptcy Act 1966 .

(8) A reference in this section to a person who is an associate of a relevant person is a reference to:
(a) a person holding money or other property on behalf of the relevant person; or
(b) if the relevant person is a body corporate–a wholly owned subsidiary of the relevant person.

(9) A reference in paragraph (1)(b) or (d) to a contravention of a provision of this Division includes a reference to applying or relying on, or purporting to apply or rely on, a term of a contract that the Court has declared under section 12GND to be an unfair term.

Why Choose Sydney Criminal Lawyers®?

Going to court can be nerve-racking, but having a strong and compassionate legal team behind you can make the experience significantly easier to deal with.

Here are 12 reasons to choose our multi-award winning legal team:

  1. Proven Track Record of Exceptional Results

    Sydney Criminal Lawyers® consistently achieves outcomes which are in the highest percentile of the Judicial Commission’s sentencing statistics for criminal cases.

    Our legal team devises effective case-strategies and fights hard to have cases dropped entirely or charges downgraded – saving clients the time, expense and stress of a defended hearing or jury trial.

    Where cases nevertheless proceed, our lawyers have an outstanding track record of winning defended Local Court hearings, and complex jury trials in the District and Supreme Courts.

    We also consistently win appeals in the District and Supreme Courts (including the NSWCCA) after clients have received unsatisfactory results with other law firms in the lower courts.We are one of the few firms to achieve successful criminal law appeals in the High Court of Australia.

    Where our clients wish to plead guilty, we frequently achieve ‘dismissals’ and ‘non convictions’ in cases where other lawyers have advised there is no chance of doing so.

  2. Highest Level of Client Satisfaction

    We have the best and most comprehensive client review record of any law firm in Australia.

    Regular communication, accessibility and quality service are our team’s highest priorities.

    We are committed to thoroughly explaining all steps involved in the criminal law process, providing regular updates throughout the proceedings, and making ourselves accessible and responsive.

    We are passionate about providing an exceptional level of service to our clients, and we fight hard to achieve optimal results in the shortest period of time.

  3. Australia’s Most Awarded Criminal Law Firm

    We have received more awards and accolades than any other criminal law firm in Australia. Our team has been awarded “Criminal Defence Firm of the Year in Australia” in a number of prestigious and competitive awards programs for several years running.

    The awards recognise our exceptional track record of results, our outstanding client service, the high level of satisfaction we achieve, the affordability of our services and our overall excellence.

  4. Fixed Fees

    We want our clients to know exactly how much their cases will cost from the very start. That’s why we were the first criminal law firm in Australia to publish ‘fixed fees’, back in 2004.

    We offer fixed fees for most types of criminal cases and services.Our fixed fees apply to a range of Local Court cases such as drink driving, drug possession, fraud, common assault and AVOs, and also specific services such as prison visits, bail applications, appeals and defended hearings.

    Unlike many other law firms, our fixed fees are published on our website – which ensures transparency and certainty.

  5. Free First Appointment

    For those who are going to court, we offer a free first conference of up to an hour with one of our Senior Criminal Defence Lawyers.

    We also offer a free first conference to those who have received an unsatisfactory result after being represented in court by another law firm, or after representing themselves, and wish to appeal.

  6. Specialist Lawyer Guarantee

    We guarantee that only lawyers with substantial criminal defence experience will work on your case and appear for you in court.

    This ensures our clients receive the highest quality representation from an experienced, specialist criminal lawyer.

  7. All NSW Courts

    From Bombala to Broken Hill, our lawyers appear in courts throughout New South Wales – and across Australia for Commonwealth cases.

    And we offer fixed fees for most criminal and traffic law cases throughout the state.

  8. Accredited Specialists

    Our entire firm is exclusively dedicated to criminal law – which makes us true specialists.

    All of our lawyers have years of experience representing clients in criminal cases, and our principal has been certified by the Law Society of NSW as an Accredited Criminal Law Specialist since 2005.

    An ‘Accredited Specialist’ is a lawyer who has practised for at least 5 years in a particular field of law (such as criminal law), has passed a rigorous assessment process conducted by the Law Society of NSW, and has been selected by the Specialist Accreditation Committee of the Law Society as an expert in the field.

    Accredited Specialists are required to undertake more training each year than other lawyers and must be successful in having their accreditation renewed every year. Specialist Accreditation is the mark of a true specialist.

    Our firm’s specialist experience ensures you receive the best possible result, whatever your criminal law case may be.

  9. Results-Focused Law Firm

    Our team is passionate about achieving results, and unlike many other law firms, our lawyers do not have monthly financial ‘budgets’ to meet.

    The absence of budgets means our lawyers are entirely focused on achieving optimal results in the shortest space of time; whether by getting charges dropped or downgraded at an early stage or having cases ‘thrown out of court’.

    Not having budgets also means our lawyers are not under pressure to engage in unscrupulous practices such as unnecessarily adjourning cases or ‘overcharging’ clients – which, sadly, is a common complaint against many other lawyers and law firms.

    No budgets encourages regular consultation between lawyers within the firm – promoting an ‘open door’, team environment where lawyers bounce ideas off one another, formulate case strategy together and benefit from each other’s specialised experience, methods, techniques and insights.

    The result is a firm which delivers optimal outcomes in the shortest time periods, at the least expense and stress to our clients.

  10. Team of Lawyers Behind You

    Our clients benefit from the pool of knowledge that only an extensive team of experienced criminal defence lawyers can provide.

    Our lawyers regularly consult one another to stay ‘ahead of the pack’ in the ever-changing field of criminal law – constantly devising, refining and implementing specialised techniques which ensure our clients achieve the best possible outcomes.

    A team approach is particularly important when it comes to serious criminal cases such as murder, commercial drug cases, serious and sexual assaults, large-scale fraud, robbery and other ‘indictable’ cases.

    In such matters, clients reap the benefits of several lawyers devising and executing case strategies which maximise the chances of having cases dropped or downgraded at an early stage, or ‘thrown out of court’ – often saving clients a great deal of cost, time and anxiety.

  11. Familiar with Magistrates and Judges

    Each of our lawyers appears in court on a daily basis, and has done so for years. We have therefore been able to develop an understanding of, and rapport with, magistrates and judges in Sydney and indeed across the state.

    Our team’s extensive experience before the courts ensures your case is tailored to the specific nuances of individual judicial officers, maximising the likelihood of a favourable result.

  12. Convenience

    We have offices in locations across the Sydney Metropolitan Area and beyond, including:

    We offer free parking at our Sydney CBD offices, and all of our offices are close to train stations and bus terminals.

    For those who are unable to attend our offices, we offer conferences by telephone, Skye and FaceTime anywhere around the world.

    If you are going to court and wish to arrange a free first consultation, call our 24 hour hotline on (02) 9261 8881 or send us an email at info@sydneycriminallawyers.com.au.

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