Section 73-304 - Denial, revocation, suspension, cancellation and withdrawal of registration of broker-dealers, agents, investment advisers and investment adviser representatives(a) The Director may by order deny, suspend or revoke any registration or take such other action authorized by the Act if the Director finds that the order is in the public interest and that the applicant or registrant or, in the case of a broker-dealer or investment adviser, any partner, officer, director or any person occupying a similar status or performing similar functions, or any person directly or indirectly controlling the broker-dealer or investment adviser, any of the following:(1) Has filed an application for registration which as of its effective date, or as of any date after filing in the case of an order denying effectiveness, was incomplete in any material respect or contained any statement which was, in light of the circumstances under which it was made, false or misleading with respect to any material fact.(2) Has willfully violated or willfully failed to comply with any provision of this chapter or any rule or order hereunder.(3) Has been convicted of a felony, infamous crime, or other crime involving moral turpitude.(4) Is permanently or temporarily enjoined by any court of competent jurisdiction from engaging in or continuing any conduct or practice involving any aspect of the securities business.(5) Is the subject of a cease and desist order of the Director or of an order of the Director denying, suspending or revoking registration as a broker-dealer, agent, investment adviser or investment adviser representative.(6) Is the subject of an order entered within the past 10 years by the securities administrator of any other state or country, by a self-regulatory organization, or by the Securities and Exchange Commission either ordering the person to cease and desist from engaging in or continuing any conduct or practice involving any aspect of the securities business, or suspending, denying or revoking registration as a broker-dealer, agent, investment adviser, or investment adviser representative, or the substantial equivalent of those terms as defined in this chapter, or is suspended or expelled from a national securities exchange or national securities association registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. § 78a et seq.] either by action of a national securities exchange or national securities association, the effect of which action has not been stayed by administrative or judicial order; or is the subject of a United States post office fraud order.(7) Has engaged in dishonest or unethical practices within or outside this State.(8) Is insolvent, either in the sense that the person's liabilities exceed the person's assets or in the sense that the person cannot meet the person's obligations as they mature.(9) Is not qualified on the basis of such factors as training, experience, and knowledge of the securities business, except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this section.(10) Has failed reasonably to supervise (A) the person's agents or employees if the person is a broker-dealer or broker-dealer agent with supervisory responsibilities, or (B) the person's adviser representatives or employees if the person is an investment adviser or investment adviser representative with supervisory responsibilities, and the Director may infer such failure from an agent's, investment adviser representative's or employee's violations.(11) Has failed to pay the proper filing fee, but the Director shall vacate any denial or suspension order when the deficiency has been correct.(12) Has violated or failed to comply with any lawful order issued by the Director.(13) Has within the past 10 years been a partner, officer, director, controlling person or any person occupying a similar status or performing similar functions in a broker-dealer or investment adviser whose registration in this State or any state, or with the Securities and Exchange Commission, has been revoked for disciplinary reasons, or whose membership in a national securities exchange or national securities association has been terminated for disciplinary reasons.(b) The following provisions govern the application of paragraph (a)(9) of this section: (1) The Director may not enter an order against a broker-dealer or investment adviser on the basis of the lack of qualification of any person other than (A) the broker-dealer or investment adviser himself or herself (if the person is an individual); (B) an agent of the broker-dealer; or (C) an investment adviser representative.(2) The Director may not enter an order solely on the basis of lack of experience if the applicant or registrant is qualified by training in or knowledge of securities, or both.(3) The Director shall consider that an agent who will work under the supervision of a registered broker-dealer need not have the same qualifications as a broker-dealer and that an investment adviser representative who will work under the supervision of a registered investment adviser or federal covered adviser need not have the same qualifications as an investment adviser or federal covered adviser.(4) The Director may by rule provide for an examination, which may be written or oral or both, to be taken by any class of or all applicants.(c) The Director may by order summarily postpone or suspend registration or take such other action authorized by this chapter pending final determination of any proceeding under this section. Upon the entry of an order, the Director shall promptly notify the applicant or registrant, as well as the employer or prospective employer if the applicant or registrant is an agent or investment adviser representative, that it has been entered and of the reasons therefore and that the subject of the order may request a hearing on an application to set aside, limit, or suspend the summary order by filing with the Director: (1) A written request for a hearing; and(2) A written answer addressing specifically the factual and legal findings of the order, within the time provided by rule or order. The opportunity to be heard is waived if the subject of the order fails to timely file a written answer and written request for a hearing, and the order will remain in effect until modified or vacated by the Director. To the extent a hearing is properly requested and an answer properly filed, a hearing shall be noticed within 15 days from the date the request is received.
(d) If the Director finds that any registrant or applicant for registration is no longer in existence or has ceased to do business as a broker-dealer, agent, investment adviser or investment adviser representative, or is subject to an adjudication of mental incompetence or to the control of a committee, conservator or guardian, or cannot be located after reasonable search, the Director may by order cancel the registration or application.(e) Withdrawal from registration as a broker-dealer, agent, investment adviser or investment adviser representative becomes effective 90 days after receipt of an application to withdraw or within such shorter period of time as the Director may determine, unless a revocation or suspension proceeding is pending when the application is filed or a proceeding to revoke or suspend or impose conditions upon the withdrawal is instituted within 90 days after the application is filed. If a proceeding is pending or instituted, withdrawal becomes effective at such time and upon such conditions as the Director by order determines. If no proceeding is pending or instituted, a withdrawal automatically becomes effective, but the Director may nevertheless institute a revocation or suspension proceeding, and impose fines, costs and restitution, within 2 years after withdrawal becomes effective and enter a revocation or suspension as of the last date on which registration was effective.(f) No order may be entered under any part of this section except the first sentence of subsection (c) of this section without:(1) Appropriate prior notice to the applicant or registrant (as well as the employer or prospective employer if the applicant or registrant is an agent or investment adviser representative);(2) Opportunity for a hearing; and(3) Written findings of fact and conclusions of law. The Director or the Director's designee shall control the procedures and the conduct of the parties at the hearing.
Amended by Laws 2023, ch. 514,s 6, eff. 11/1/2024.Amended by Laws 2023 , ch. 230, s 14, eff. 9/21/2023.Amended by Laws 2023 , ch. 230, s 13, eff. 9/21/2023.6 Del. C. 1953, § 7316; 59 Del. Laws, c. 208, § 1; 67 Del. Laws, c. 274, §§7 - 9; 68 Del. Laws, c. 181, §§5 - 11, 13, 25; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; 70 Del. Laws, c. 560, § 4; 71 Del. Laws, c. 162, §§ 18- 22; 78 Del. Laws, c. 175, §§ 70, 101, 118.;