A Florida state court has weighed in on whether strict or substantial compliance is required when providing borrowers with a notice of default. In Green Tree Servicing, LLC v. Erin C. Milam et al., the Court has agreed with decisions from other states that a lender’s notice of default is sufficient when it substantially
California Appeals Court Revives California’s Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act
The California Appeals Court overturned a Los Angeles Superior Court decision holding that California’s Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act (ICRAA) was unconstitutionally vague because of its overlap with California’s Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies Act (CCRAA). Connor v. First Student, Inc., 2015 Cal. App. LEXIS 699 (Cal. App. 2d Dist. Aug. 14, 2015).
In the …
Third Circuit Upholds FTC’s Authority to Prosecute Companies for Data Breaches
On August 24, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the authority of the Federal Trade Commission to bring cases against companies that experience a data breach.
The Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the FTC could proceed with a lawsuit alleging that the hotel chain Wyndham Worldwide Corp. violated the unfairness and deception prong…
Leading Trade Group Launching Broad-Ranging Attack on FCC’s Expansive Interpretation of the TCPA
On July 10, the Federal Communications Commission enacted major changes and clarifications to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (“TCPA”). Approved on a contentious 3-2 vote by the FCC commissioners, the FCC released its Declaratory Ruling and Order (FCC 15-72) (“the FCC’s Order”) formally stating its interpretation of numerous provisions of the…
Second Circuit: New York City’s Department of Consumer Affairs has Authority to Regulate Law Firms Acting as Debt Collection Agencies
The Second Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled that New York City’s Department of Consumer Affairs has the authority to regulate law firms’ conduct related to purchasing and collecting consumer debt.
In Eric M. Berman, P.C., et al. v. City of New York, et al., the Second Circuit vacated a 2009 district court ruling…
Upsurge in Car Lending Sends Total Auto Debt Above $1 Trillion for First Time
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York released its Household Debt and Credit Report this month. The report, which uses anonymous credit data to generate a nationally representative sample, found that consumers’ overall indebtedness increased $2 billion to $11.9 trillion in the second quarter of 2015.
This number was aided by the increased number of …
Third Circuit Upholds FTC’s Authority to Prosecute Companies for Data Breaches
On August 24, 2015, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the authority of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to bring cases against companies that experience a data breach.
The Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the FTC could proceed with a lawsuit alleging hotel chain, Wyndham Worldwide Corp., violated the unfairness and deception prong…
Spokeo-Based Stays Gaining Steam in Consumer Litigation
On April 27, 2015, the United States Supreme Court granted certiorari in Spokeo Inc. v. Robins to address the issue of whether Congress may confer Article III standing on a plaintiff who suffers no concrete harm by simply authorizing a private right of action based on the violation of a federal statute alone. Although the …
CFPB and FTC File Joint Amicus Brief in FDCPA Case Challenging Level of “Attorney Review” Required Before Filing Debt Collection Complaint
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission jointly filed an amicus brief with the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Bock v. Pressler & Pressler, LLP. In the case, a U.S. district court previously ruled that a debt collection law firm violated the Fair Debt Collection …
Fourth Circuit: South Carolina’s Automated Call Statute Is Unconstitutional
On August 6, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed a federal district court decision invalidating South Carolina’s statute banning automated calls for commercial or political purposes. The statute, enacted in 1991, restricted unsolicited automated calls “made for consumer, political, or other purposes.” All qualifying automated calls were prohibited with …