(1)Whenever it appears to the Attorney General that any person has engaged in, is engaging in, or is about to engage in any act or practice prohibited by this Act, or that any person has assisted or participated in any agreement or combination of the nature described herein, he may, in his discretion, conduct an investigation as he deems necessary in connection with the matter and has the authority prior to the commencement of any civil or criminal action as provided for in the Act to subpoena witnesses, and pursuant to a subpoena (i) compel their attendance for the purpose of examining them under oath, (ii) require the production of any books, documents, records, writings, or tangible things hereafter referred to as "documentary material" which the Attorney General deems relevant or mate
Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI
(1) Whenever it appears to the Attorney General that any person has engaged in, is engaging in, or is about to engage in any act or practice prohibited by this Act, or that any person has assisted or participated in any agreement or combination of the nature described herein, he may, in his discretion, conduct an investigation as he deems necessary in connection with the matter and has the authority prior to the commencement of any civil or criminal action as provided for in the Act to subpoena witnesses, and pursuant to a subpoena (i) compel their attendance for the purpose of examining them under oath, (ii) require the production of any books, documents, records, writings, or tangible things hereafter referred to as "documentary material" which the Attorney General deems relevant or material to his investigation, for inspection, reproducing, or copying under such terms and conditions as hereafter set forth, (iii) require written answers under oath to written interrogatories, or (iv) require compliance with a combination of the foregoing. Any subpoena issued by the Attorney General shall contain the following information: (a) The statute and section thereof, the alleged violation of which is under investigation and the general subject matter of the investigation. (b) The date and place at which time the person is required to appear or produce documentary material in his possession, custody, or control or submit answers to interrogatories in the office of the Attorney General located in Springfield or Chicago. Said date shall not be less than 10 days from date of service of the subpoena. (c) Where documentary material is required to be produced, the same shall be described by class so as to clearly indicate the material demanded. The Attorney General is hereby authorized, and may so elect, to require the production, pursuant to this Section, of documentary material or interrogatory answers prior to the taking of any testimony of the person subpoenaed. Said documentary material shall be made available for inspection and copying during normal business hours at the principal place of business of the person served, or at such other time and place, as may be agreed upon by the person served and the Attorney General. When documentary material is demanded by subpoena, said subpoena shall not: (i) contain any requirement which would be unreasonable or improper if contained in a subpoena duces tecum issued by a court of this State; or (ii) require the disclosure of any documentary material which would be privileged, or which for any other reason would not be required by a subpoena duces tecum issued by a court of this State. (2) The production of documentary material in response to a subpoena served pursuant to this Section shall be made under a sworn certificate, in such form as the subpoena designates, by the person, if a natural person, to whom the demand is directed or, if not a natural person, by a person or persons having knowledge of the facts and circumstances relating to such production, to the effect that all of the documentary material required by the demand and in the possession, custody, or control of the person to whom the demand is directed has been produced and made available to the custodian. Answers to interrogatories shall be accompanied by a statement under oath attesting to the accuracy of the answers. While in the possession of the Attorney General and under such reasonable terms and conditions as the Attorney General shall prescribe: (A) documentary material shall be available for examination by the person who produced such material or by any duly authorized representative of such person, (B) transcript of oral testimony shall be available for examination by the person who produced such testimony, or his or her counsel, and (C) answers to interrogatories shall be available for examination by the person who swore to their accuracy. Except as otherwise provided in this Section, no documentary material, transcripts of oral testimony, or answers to interrogatories, or copies thereof, in the possession of the Attorney General shall be available for examination by any individual other than an authorized employee of the Attorney General or other law enforcement officials, federal, State, or local, without the consent of the person who produced such material, transcripts, or interrogatory answers. Such documentary material, transcripts of oral testimony, or answers to interrogatories, or copies thereof, may be used by the Attorney General in any administrative or judicial action or proceeding. For purposes of this Section, all documentary materials, transcripts of oral testimony, answers to interrogatories obtained by the Attorney General from other law enforcement officials, information voluntarily produced to the Attorney General for purposes of any investigation conducted under subsection (1), or information provided to the Attorney General pursuant to the notice requirement of Section 7.2a shall be treated as if produced pursuant to a subpoena served pursuant to this Section for purposes of maintaining the confidentiality of such information. The changes made by Public Act 103-526 are inoperative on and after January 1, 2027. (3) No person shall, with intent to avoid, evade, prevent, or obstruct compliance in whole or in part by any person with any duly served subpoena of the Attorney General under this Act, knowingly remove from any place, conceal, withhold, destroy, mutilate, alter, or by any other means falsify any documentary material that is the subject of such subpoena. A violation of this subsection is a Class A misdemeanor. The Attorney General, with such assistance as he may from time to time require of the State's Attorneys in the several counties, shall investigate suspected violations of this subsection and shall commence and try all prosecutions under this subsection.