Section 1393.

(a) The superior court of the county in which is located the principal office of the plan in this state shall, upon the filing by the director of a verified application showing any of the conditions enumerated in Section 1386 to exist, issue its order vesting title to all of the assets of the plan, wherever situated, in the director or the director's successor in office, in his or her official capacity as such, and direct the director to take possession of all of its books, records, property, real and personal, and assets, and to conduct, as conservator, the business or portion of the business of the person as may seem appropriate to the director, and enjoining the person and its officers, directors, agents, servants, and employees from the transaction of its business or disposition of its property until the further order of the court.

(b) Whenever it appears to the director that irreparable loss and injury to the property and business of the plan or to the plan's enrollees has occurred or may occur unless the director acts immediately, the director, without notice and before applying to the court for any order, may take possession of the property, business, books, records, and accounts of the plan, and of the offices and premises occupied by it for the transaction of its business, and retain possession until returned to the plan or until further order of the director or subject to an order of the court. Any person having possession of and refusing to deliver any of the books, records, or assets of a plan against which a seizure order has been issued by the director, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and punishable by a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or imprisonment not exceeding one year, or both the fine and imprisonment. Whenever the director has taken possession of any plan pursuant to this subdivision, the owners, officers, and directors of the plan may apply to the superior court in the county in which the principal office of the plan is located, within 10 days after the taking, to enjoin further proceedings. The court, after citing the director to show cause why further proceedings should not be enjoined, and after a hearing and a determination of the facts upon the merits, may do any of the following:

(1) Dismiss the application after confirming the director's authority to take possession of all of the plan's books, records, property, real and personal, and assets, and to conduct, as conservator, the business or portion of the business as the director may deem appropriate, and enjoining the owners, officers, and directors, and their agents and employees, from the transaction of plan business or disposition of plan property until the further order of the court.

(2) Enjoin the director from further proceedings and direct the director to surrender the property and business to the plan.

(3) Make any further order as may be just.

(c) If any facts occur that would entitle the director to take possession of the property, business, and assets of the plan, the director may appoint a conservator over the plan and require any bond of the conservator as the director deems proper. The conservator, under the direction of the director, shall take possession of the property, business, and assets of the plan pending further disposition of its business. The conservator shall retain possession until the property, business, and assets of the plan are returned to the plan, or until further order of the director, except that the conservator shall be able to pay necessary costs of the ongoing operation without formal order of the director. Whenever the director has taken possession of any plan pursuant to subdivision (b), the director shall, within 10 days after the taking, apply to the superior court in the county in which the principal office of the plan is located for an order confirming the director's appointment of the conservator. The order may be given after a hearing upon notice that the court prescribes.

(d) (1) Subject to the other provisions of this section, a conservator, while in possession of the property, business, and assets of a plan, has the same powers and rights, and is subject to the same duties and obligations, as the director under the same circumstances, and during this time, the rights of a plan and of all persons with respect to the plan are the same as if the director had taken possession of the property, business, and assets of the plan, for the purpose of carrying out the conservatorship.

(2) Subject to the other provisions of this section, a conservator, while in possession of the property, business, and assets of a plan, shall have all of the rights, powers, and privileges of the plan, and its officers and directors, for the purpose of carrying out the conservatorship. All expenses of any conservatorship shall be paid from the assets of the plan, and shall be a lien on the plan which shall be prior to any other lien.

(3) No action at law or in equity may be maintained by any party against the director or a conservator by reason of their exercising or performing the privileges, powers, rights, duties, and obligations pursuant to the order, or with the approval, of the superior court.

(e) Upon appointing a conservator, the director shall cause to be made and completed, at the earliest possible date, an examination of the affairs of the plan as shall be necessary to inform the director as to the plan's financial condition.

(f) If the director becomes satisfied that it may be done safely and in the public interest, the director may terminate the conservatorship and permit the plan for which the conservator was appointed to resume its business under the direction of its board of directors, subject to any terms, conditions, restrictions, and limitations the director prescribes.

(Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 525, Sec. 141. Effective January 1, 2000. Operative July 1, 2000, or sooner, by Sec. 214 of Ch. 525.)