§ 7–140. Violation of § 7-136, § 7-138, or § 7-139, or rules or regulations promulgated thereunder.

Any person who willfully violates § 7-136, 7-138, or 7-139 or who willfully discloses, receives, uses, or permits the use of information in violation of § 7-131(b) shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, subject to a fine not exceeding $5,000, imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or both. Any person who willfully violates any rule or regulation issued pursuant to this subchapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, subject to a fine not exceeding $1,000, imprisonment for not more than 30 days, or both. All prosecutions for violations of § 7-136, 7-138 or 7-139 or the rules and regulations issued pursuant to this subchapter shall be in the Criminal Division of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, in the name of the District of Columbia upon information filed by the Corporation Counsel of the District of Columbia or any of his assistants. The Court may impose conditions upon any person found guilty under the aforesaid provisions and so long as such person shall comply therewith to the satisfaction of the Court the imposition or execution of sentence may be suspended for such period as the Court may direct; and the Court may at or before the expiration of such period vacate such sentence or cause it to be executed. Conditions thus imposed by the Court may include submission to medical and mental examination, diagnosis, and treatment by proper public health and welfare authorities or by any licensed physician approved by the Court, and such other terms and conditions as the Court may deem best for the protection of the community and the punishment, control, and rehabilitation of the defendant.

(Aug. 11, 1939, ch. 601, § 10; Aug. 8, 1946, 60 Stat. 922, ch. 871, § 2; Aug. 1, 1950, 64 Stat. 393, ch. 513, § 1; July 8, 1963, 77 Stat. 77, Pub. L. 88-60, § 1; July 29, 1970, 84 Stat. 570, Pub. L. 91-358, title I, § 155(a); Feb. 21, 1986, D.C. Law 6-83, § 3(f), 32 DCR 7276; Oct. 17, 2002, D.C. Law 14-194, § 902(h), 49 DCR 5306.)

Prior Codifications

1981 Ed., § 6-126.

1973 Ed., § 6-119h.

Effect of Amendments

D.C. Law 14-194 deleted the last sentence in the section which had read as follows: “The Director of the Department of Human Services of the District of Columbia, the Metropolitan Police force, and employees of the Department of Human Services are authorized and directed to perform such duties as may be directed by the Court in effectuating compliance with the conditions so imposed upon any defendant.”

Editor's Notes

Board of Public Welfare abolished: The Board of Public Welfare was abolished and the functions thereof transferred to the Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia by Reorganization Plan No. 5 of 1952. The executive functions of the Board of Commissioners were transferred to the Commissioner of the District of Columbia by § 401 of Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1967. Reorganization Order No. 58 as amended, redesignated as Organization Order No. 140 and amended, established under the direction and control of a Commissioner, a Department of Public Welfare, headed by a Director with the purpose of planning, implementing and directing public welfare programs. Reorganization Order No. 58 provided that the previously existing Board of Public Welfare would be abolished. That Order also transferred specified functions of the former board to the Department of Public Health and the Department of Public Welfare. Functions of the Department of Public Welfare and of the Department of Public Health as set forth in Organization Order Nos. 140 and 141, respectively, were transferred to the Director of the Department of Human Resources by Commissioner’s Order No. 69-96, dated March 7, 1969, as amended by Commissioner’s Order No. 70-83, dated March 6, 1970. The Department of Human Resources was replaced by the Department of Human Services by Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1979, dated February 21, 1980.

Office of Director of Public Health abolished: See Historical and Statutory Notes following § 7-101.

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 402(136) 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 the District of Columbia Council, subject to the right of the Commissioner as provided in § 406 of the Plan. 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.