Chapter 25B.

Credit.

Article 1.

Credit Rights of Women.

§ 25B-1.  Equal availability of credit for women.

(a) No married woman shall be denied credit in her own name if her uncommingled earnings, separate property or other assets are such that a man possessing the same amount of uncommingled earnings, separate property or other assets would receive credit.

(b) No unmarried woman shall be denied credit in her own name if her property, earnings or other assets are such that a man possessing the same amount of property, earnings or other assets would receive credit.

(c) For the purposes of this section, "credit" means the obtaining of money, property, labor or services on a deferred-payment basis. (1973, c. 1394, s. 1.)

 

§ 25B‑2.  Responsibility of credit‑reporting agency to maintain separate credit histories.

A credit‑reporting agency shall, upon written request of a married person, identify within any report delivered by the agency, both the separate credit history of each spouse and the credit history of their joint accounts, if such information is on file with the credit‑reporting agency. (1973, c. 1394, s. 2.)

 

§ 25B‑3.  Right of action to enforce Article.

(a) A married or unmarried woman denied credit in violation of this Chapter shall have a right of action on account of such violation in which she shall be entitled to actual damages, and reasonable attorney's fees in the discretion of the court to be taxed as part of the cost.

(b) Violations of this Chapter may be enjoined by action of the Attorney General brought in behalf of the State pursuant to authority granted in G.S. 114‑2. (1973, c. 1394, s. 3.)

 

§ 25B‑4.  Granting of credit not otherwise affected.

Nothing contained herein shall be construed to deprive any credit grantor of his right to deny credit or limit its terms based upon its evaluation of the applicant's capability or willingness to repay, or to require any credit grantor to give preferential treatment to any applicant because of sex or marital status. (1973, c. 1394, s. 4.)