778 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 476

140. Revocation y Suspension, or Surrender of License, (a)
The Commissioner may suspend or revoke any license issued
under this sub-title, if he shall find that:

(1) the licensee, knowingly or without the exercise of due
care to prevent such violation, has violated any provision of
this sub-title, or of any other law regulating instalment sales
agreements, or has failed to comply with any demand, or re-
quirement, lawfully made by the Commissioner under and
within the authority of this sub-title; or

(2) any material misstatement has been made in the appli-
cation for the license; or

(3) the licensee has defrauded any retail buyer to the
buyer's damage; or wilfully failed to perform any written
agreement with any retail buyer; or

(4) in the case of a licensee other than a natural person,
any officer, director, trustee, or partner of such licensee has
been guilty of any act or omission which would be cause for
revoking or suspending a license of such party as an indi-
vidual; or

(5) any other agent or employee of such licensee has been
guilty of such act or omission and the licensee has approved
or had knowledge thereof or of acts or omissions of like
character and after such approval or knowledge has retained
the benefit, proceeds, profit, or advantage of such act or
omission or otherwise ratified it.

(b) No license shall be suspended or revoked except after
a hearing thereon. The Commissioner shall give the licensee
at least ten (10) days' written notice of the time and place of
such hearing by registered mail addressed to the principal
place of business in this State of such licensee. Any order
suspending or revoking such license shall recite the grounds
upon which it is based and shall not be effective until ten (10)
days' after written notice thereof has been sent by registered
mail to the licensee at such principal place of business.

(c) The Commissioner in his discretion may revoke or sus-
pend only the particular license with respect to which grounds
for revocation or suspension may occur or exist; but if he finds
that grounds for revocation or suspension are of general appli-
cation to all places of business, or to more than one place of
business, operated by such licensee, he shall revoke or suspend
all of the licenses issued to said licensee or those licenses to
which the grounds for revocation or suspension apply, as the
case may be.

(d) Any licensee may surrender any license by delivering
to the Commissioner written notice that such license is thereby
surrendered, but such surrender shall not affect the licensee's
civil or criminal liability for acts committed prior thereto.