In a recent decision dismissing a purported class action against Zillow Group, Inc., launched by disgruntled purchasers of the company’s securities, the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington provided a remarkably thorough—and an eminently useful—distillation of the federal judiciary’s emergent application of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974

Tim St. George, a partner in Troutman Sanders’ Consumer Financial Services practice, has been nominated as one of twenty-two of Virginia Lawyers Media’s Up & Coming Lawyers for 2018.  The “Up & Coming Lawyers” awards program, now in its third year, recognizes lawyers across the commonwealth who are making their mark within their first 10

On October 23, the Federal Trade Commission and the New York Attorney General sued multiple New York debt collection companies for using false and deceptive tactics to collect on debts.  On October 26, the United States District Court for the Western District of New York granted a temporary restraining order (“TRO”) prohibiting the defendants from

Arbitration clauses are ubiquitous in consumer and employment contracts.  Frustrated with that widespread use, on October 30, United States House of Representatives members Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) and Bobby Scott (D-Va.) introduced the “Restoring Justice for Workers Act.” The proposed legislation would outlaw use of class action waiver provisions in employment

On October 26, the Eastern District of Wisconsin issued a ruling dismissing a Fair Credit Reporting Act case. In Garland v. Marine Credit Union, the Court granted summary judgment in favor of the debt collector, holding the dispute was a legal issue such that the consumer could not establish a factual inaccuracy in the

The Court in Patterson v. Peterson Enterprises, Inc., No. 2:18-cv-161-RMP (E.D. Wash. Oct. 23, 2018) recently denied a motion to dismiss seeking dismissal of a Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”) claim due to the consumer plaintiff’s assertions that counterclaims in a previous collections lawsuit indicated that a debt was being disputed.  The Court

In a victory for mortgage lenders and servicers, the Virginia Supreme Court held on September 27 that Virginia’s five-year statute of limitations for a breach of contract claim based on a deed of trust begins to run when the loan is accelerated – not when a foreclosure sale is held much later.

By way of

Alarm.com has agreed to pay $28 million to settle a TCPA class action, which involves allegations that it sent unlawful telemarketing communications to more than 1.2 million consumers.  The parties filed a motion for preliminary approval of the class settlement, which is set for hearing on November 27.  The case, pending in the Northern

On October 29, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals issued a long-awaited ruling in a Fair Debt Collection Practices Act case involving the disclosure of the amount due in a collection letter.  In Derosa v. CAC Financial, the Court affirmed summary judgment in favor of the debt collector and held that, if a debt

In a decision that reversed a $10 million “collective action” arbitration award, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals held that whether class or collective arbitration is authorized by an arbitration agreement is a “gateway” decision to be made by the district court, not the arbitrator.  The case is Herrington v. Waterstone Mortgage Corp., No.