We are pleased to announce that Troutman Sanders attorneys David Anthony, Ashley Taylor, Paige Fitzgerald, and Laura Anne Kuykendall published a survey through Thomson Reuters which focuses on consumer financial regulation issues for the Commonwealth of Virginia. The survey is formatted as a question and answer guide, and addresses state-specific laws governing
CFPB Warns of Debt Risks for Car Title Loans, Foreshadows Upcoming Regulation
On May 18, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued a 24-page report regarding consumer usage and default patterns for vehicle title loans. Such loans are made to borrowers who sign over their car titles as collateral, and are commonly made to individuals with poor credit histories in need of fast cash. Although the borrower retains
Illinois Appellate Court Rejects Coverage for Blast-Fax Class Action Under the TCPA
On May 18, 2016, in First Mercury Insurance Company v. Nationwide Security Services, Inc. et al., the First District of the Illinois Appellate Court affirmed the Circuit Court of Cook County’s ruling of no coverage after the insured settled a “Blast-Fax” class action lawsuit brought under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. The TCPA provides
Join Us for a Troutman Sanders Webinar: A Year in Review – TCPA Developments since the FCC’s Landmark Declaratory Ruling
Join Troutman Sanders partners Alan Wingfield and Chad Fuller, and associate Virginia Flynn for a webinar entitled, “A Year in Review – TCPA Developments since the FCC’s Landmark Declaratory Ruling,” on Tuesday, June 7, from 12:00-1:00 p.m. EDT.
The Federal Communications Commission’s landmark July 10, 2015 Declaratory Ruling interpreting the Telephone Consumer Protection Act
CFPB Attempts to Sound Death Knell for Consumer Class Action Waivers Used by Financial Institutions
On May 5, 2016, the CFPB announced proposed rules that would further restrict the ability of financial institutions to enter into mandatory arbitration clauses with consumers, including an outright ban on provisions that would prohibit consumers from pursuing class actions in court. The proposed rules do not forbid all mandatory arbitration clauses, however. Financial institutions
Eighth Circuit Joins Minority in Circuit Split as to Ascertainability Standard for Class Actions
On May 3, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit reversed a lower court’s rejection of class certification in Sandusky Wellness Ctr., LLC v. Medtox Scientific, Inc., a case brought under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (“TCPA”) relating to junk faxes sent by a lead testing company. In its opinion, the
Auto Lenders Settle Excessive Interest Claims With Massachusetts Attorney General for $7.4 Million
On March 16, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced a $7.4 million settlement with two national auto lenders, American Credit Acceptance LLC (“ACA”) and Westlake Services LLC (“Westlake”). The settlement resolves claims against the lenders that they charged excessive interest rates on subprime automotive loans. ACA settled for $1.7 million, and Westlake for $5.7 million.
House Democrats Join Senate Colleagues With Introduction of Identical HANGUP Act
House Democrats have joined an effort to ensure that the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (“TCPA”) applies to calls to collect government-backed debt. We previously reported that on November 4, 2015, Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) introduced the Help Americans Never Get Unwanted Phone calls Act of 2015, also known as the
Join Us at the ABA Business Law Section Spring Meeting in Montreal
We are pleased to announce that Troutman Sanders partner David Anthony will be a panelist at the American Bar Association’s Business Law Section Spring Meeting at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth in Montreal, Canada on April 6-9.
David will speak on a panel sponsored by the Consumer Financial Services Committee entitled “Update on the Telephone Consumer
FCC Circulates Draft Rule to Implement TCPA Exception for Government-Backed Loans
As we previously reported, section 301(b) of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 permits an exception to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 for calls and text messages “made solely to collect a debt owed to or guaranteed by the United States.” The TCPA generally prohibits calls made and text messages sent utilizing