(a) A claimant against whom the Secretary of State has rendered a decision denying an application may, within six months after the mailing of the notice of the denial, file a verified petition in superior court for an Order Directing Payment Out of the Victims of Corporate Fraud Compensation Fund based upon the grounds set forth in the application to the Secretary of State. If the underlying judgment is a California state court judgment, the petition shall be filed in the court in which the underlying judgment was entered. If the underlying judgment is not a California state court judgment or is a federal court judgment, the petition shall be filed in the superior court of any county within California that would have been a proper venue if the underlying lawsuit had been filed in a California state court, or in the Superior Court of the County of Sacramento.
(b) A copy of the petition shall be served upon the Secretary of State by the claimant. A certificate or affidavit of service shall be filed by the claimant with the court. Service on the Secretary of State may be made by mail addressed to the Secretary of State’s office.
(c) The Secretary of State shall have 30 calendar days after being served with the petition in which to file a written response. The court shall thereafter set the matter for hearing upon the request of the claimant. The court shall grant a request of the Secretary of State for one continuance of as much as 30 calendar days and may, upon a showing of good cause by any party, continue the hearing as the court deems appropriate.
(d) The claimant shall have the burden of proving compliance with the requirements of Section 2282 by competent evidence at an evidentiary hearing. The claimant shall be entitled to a de novo review of the merits of the application as contained in the administrative record.
(e) At any time during the court proceedings, the petition may be compromised or settled by the Secretary of State and the court shall, upon joint petition of the claimant and the Secretary of State, issue an order directing payment out of the fund.
(Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 564, Sec. 4. (SB 1058) Effective January 1, 2013.)