On March 29, in Hall v. Phenix Investigations, Inc., No. 15-10533, 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 5786 (5th Cir. Tex. Mar. 29, 2016), the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed dismissal of an action alleging claims under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”) and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”). The
District Court Dismisses FCRA Claims as Time-Barred
On April 26, in Verkuilen v. Business Info. Group, Inc., No. 14-cv-400, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 55392 (E.D. Wis. Apr. 26, 2016), the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin granted Defendant’s motion for partial summary judgment as to Plaintiff’s FCRA claims on the basis that they were time-barred. The FCRA
CFPB Takes Action Against Debt Collection Law Firm and Related Debt Buyer
On April 25, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau entered into consent orders with the debt collection law firm Pressler & Pressler, LLC, two principal partners, and New Century Financial Services, Inc., a debt buyer, for the defendants’ alleged violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The consent orders require Pressler and the
Supreme Court Deems Statistical Evidence Admissible in Class Action
In March, the Supreme Court, in a 6-2 decision, held in Tyson Foods, Inc. v. Bouaphekeo that the district court did not err in certifying and maintaining a class of employees who alleged violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act, notwithstanding the employees’ reliance on “representative evidence” to determine the number of additional hours
Maryland Legislature Passes Bill Preventing Revival or Extension of Statute of Limitations for Debt Collection Based on Consumer Complaint
In April, the Maryland General Assembly approved legislation on consumer debt collection that addresses how statutes of limitation may be calculated against consumers.
Senate Bill 771, which addresses certain “debt buyers” and “debt collectors,” provides that “certain actions may not revive or extend a certain statute of limitations prohibiting a debt buyer or a certain
District Court Denies Motion for Class Certification Under FCRA
In Jones v. Sterling Infosystems, 1:14cv3076 (S.D.N.Y. 2016), the district court recently denied class certification against a background screening company that was alleged to have violated 15 U.S.C. § 1681k(a) by not sending out the notice envisioned under § 1681k(a)(1) at the time that criminal record information was transmitted to employers.
The court denied
Join Us for “Class Actions 101: The Rules, Certification, Settlement, and the Court”
We are pleased to announce that Troutman Sanders partner David Anthony will be a featured speaker at the Richmond Bar Association CLE presentation titled “Class Actions 101: The Rules, Certification, Settlement, and the Court” on Tuesday, May 24 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
The speakers will cover the important “nuts and bolts” of the
Court Rejects Plaintiff’s FCRA Claims on Summary Judgment
In Ritchie v. Northern Leasing Systems, Plaintiff alleged twelve “myriad causes of action” ranging from civil RICO claims to federal fair credit statutes arising from Plaintiff’s lease of certain business equipment from Defendants. Plaintiff Patricia Ritchie applied for credit card processing services and a credit card machine for her business through a company called
New York City Issues Guidance Suggesting Background Screening Company Liability for Failure to Ensure Compliance With “Ban the Box” Requirements
The New York City Human Rights Law (the “NYCHRL”) prohibits discrimination in employment, public accommodations, and housing. It also prohibits discriminatory harassment and bias-based profiling by law enforcement. The NYCHRL, pursuant to the 2005 Civil Rights Restoration Act, must be construed “independently from similar or identical provisions of New York state or federal statutes” such
Summary Judgment Granted Against Debt Collector in FTC Action
On April 7, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas granted the government’s motion for summary judgment against a Texas-based third party debt collector, Commercial Recovery Systems, Inc. (“CRS”) and its president, Timothy Ford.
As previously reported, the Department of Justice, on behalf of the Federal Trade Commission, filed a