§ 41–204. False statements; failure to render termination statement; “Attorney General” defined.

(a) Whoever intentionally makes a false statement with respect to a financing statement or other paper filed with the Recorder of Deeds pursuant to part 4 of Article 9 of Subtitle I of Title 28 of the District of Columbia Official Code, or, after receipt of payment in full of the debt secured thereby, neglects or refuses, after written demand by the debtor, to send to the debtor a termination statement as provided by § 28:9-404 of the Code, shall be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.

(b) Prosecutions for violations of this section shall be by the Corporation Counsel of the District of Columbia or any of his assistants in the name of the District of Columbia.

(c) As used in subsection (b) of this section “Corporation Counsel” means the attorney for the District of Columbia, by whatever title the attorney may be designated by the Mayor of the District of Columbia.

(Mar. 3, 1901, ch. 854, § 546-G; June 5, 1952, 66 Stat. 126, ch. 370, § 3; Dec. 30, 1963, 77 Stat. 773, Pub. L. 88-243, § 13.)

Prior Codifications

1981 Ed., § 42-104.

1973 Ed., § 42-107.

Change in Government

This section originated at a time when local government powers were delegated to a Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia (see Acts Relating to the Establishment of the District of Columbia and its Various Forms of Governmental Organization in Volume 1). Section 401 of Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1967 (see Reorganization Plans in Volume 1) transferred all of the functions of the Board of Commissioners under this section to a single Commissioner. The District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act, 87 Stat. 818, § 711 ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.11), abolished the District of Columbia Council and the Office of Commissioner of the District of Columbia. These branches of government were replaced by the Council of the District of Columbia and the Office of Mayor of the District of Columbia, respectively. Accordingly, and also pursuant to § 714(a) of such Act ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.14(a)), appropriate changes in terminology were made in this section.