Do “negative option” subscription services constitute unfair or deceptive practices under the Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA)? According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in its recent circular, these subscription services may violate the CFPA when a seller: 1) misrepresents or fails to clearly disclose the material terms of the program; (2) fails

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has released guidance to its attorneys regarding requests to discharge student loans in bankruptcy cases. The 16-page memorandum developed in coordination with the Department of Education (DOE) advises DOJ attorneys to “recommend to the court that a debtor’s student loan be discharged if three conditions are satisfied: (1) the

A recent opinion issued by the district court for the Middle District of Florida rejected a credit union’s attempt to dismiss claims under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and Electronic Funds Transfer Act (EFTA) arising out of the alleged mishandling of a disputed charge and subsequent reporting to credit reporting agencies (CRAs), finding the

Creditors and debt collectors may rest assured that they are not violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) when sending debt-collection communications prior to any knowledge of a debtor’s bankruptcy filing. In Carrasquillo v. CICA Collection Agency, Inc., the district court for the District of Puerto Rico relied on a Third Circuit

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich released opinion No. 22-(R22-011), concluding earned wage access (EWA) products that are fully non-recourse and no-interest are not “consumer lender loans” under Arizona law. Thus, those who make, procure, or advertise EWA products are not required to be licensed as a “consumer lender” by Arizona’s Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions. The AG’s findings apply to EWA providers working with an employer as well as those working directly with an employee.

May a debt collector incur liability under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) by seeking to collect a debt under a state court judgment later determined to be void? Not according to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in a nine-page opinion issued on January 11, 2023 in the case of Barbara Lowe v.

Combatting appraisal bias continues to be a top priority for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), as recently emphasized by Deputy Director Zixta Q. Martinez during her remarks at the National Fair Housing Alliance event previewing the documentary Our America: Lowballed. Martinez stated that the CFPB has been actively working with the White House Property

When deciding the amount of homestead exemption to which a debtor is entitled, should a bankruptcy court apply the state exemption in effect on the creation date of the lien or on the bankruptcy filing date? According to the Ninth Circuit in a recent decision, the court should apply the state exemption law in

In October 2022, the Tenth Circuit heard oral argument in D.K. et al. v. United Behavioral Health et al., a case that could significantly impact what health plans must include in any notification to claimants of an adverse benefit determination, i.e. benefit denial letters.

Under ERISA’s claims procedure regulations, there is an express list