TITLE 2: NATURAL RESOURCES
DIVISION 4: LAND RESOURCES
§ 4942. Contingent Fees; Limitation: Penalty. (a) If any attorney charges a contingent fee or fees, related to any legal proceeding or transaction arising under N.M.I. Const. art. XII that deals with or concerns real property, the contingent fee or fees shall not exceed the limit on attorney’s fees set forth in subsection (c) of this section, in any transaction of attorney-client relationship falling within the jurisdiction of any court in the Commonwealth. (b) Any attorney who knowingly and willfully violates this section shall, upon conviction, be imprisoned not more than six months and fined not more than $10,000. The court may require the attorney to return all fees collected in excess of the amount permissible. Nothing in this section shall prevent the court or the Northern Marianas Bar Association from suspending, disbarring, or taking other such disciplinary action against the attorney. (c) A contingent fee in a case arising under N.M.I. Const. art. XII involving real property may never in any case exceed the lesser of: (1) 20 percent of the fair market value of the real property; or (2) 20 percent of the amount actually received by the client for the property in whatever transaction, legal proceeding, or settlement the attorney represented him or her in; or (3) The amount of time in hours spent by the attorney on the case, multiplied by $700 per hour. Source: PL 8-32, § 2 (§ 4917(b), (c), (d)), modified.