*Current as of April 8. This update accounts for guidance from 17 additional states and the District of Columbia.

As states shut down normal operations in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), governors and state attorneys general across the country have offered guidance to local governments about how to balance state laws that emphasize

On April 3, the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals issued another emergency order extending court deadlines. A press release regarding the order can be found here. The Court’s new order delays all court deadlines for matters scheduled to occur during the emergency period between March 23, 2020 and May 1, 2020 to May

On April 3, Nevada released new debt collection guidance that clarified existing emergency regulations implemented in response to the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) outbreak. The Deputy Commissioner of the Nevada Department of Business & Industry recently provided some clarification concerning the Department’s March 20 notice to the collection industry.

The Department’s prior notice deemed collection agencies non-essential

Today, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey issued a sweeping emergency regulation instituting a prohibition on debt collectors making outbound debt collection calls or pursuing other debt collection practices as a result of the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) health crisis. These rules take effect on March 28, and end when either of the following occurs: (1) 30 days

Today, a bipartisan group of 33 state attorneys general, led by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, sent a letter urging online marketplaces to more rigorously monitor price gouging practices by online sellers using their services, insisting that these companies “have an ethical obligation and duty to help [their] fellow citizens in this time of need.”

The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia issued an administrative order on Sunday, March 22 that covers public health and safety concerns related to the coronavirus (“COVID-19”). In it, the Court recognizes “the current COVID-19 crisis creates an unprecedented public health emergency that requires immediate action to encourage effective social distancing and reduce the

Wire fraud cases, arising from what the Federal Bureau of Investigation calls “business email compromise,” are on the rise. In 2018, the FBI reported that business email compromise and other internet-enabled theft, fraud, and exploitation resulted in $2.7 billion of financial loss. See FBI – IC3 Annual Report Released. Surprisingly, even sophisticated parties and

On December 17, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware approved a settlement between Starion Energy Inc. and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in which Starion agreed to pay up to $10 million to resolve claims that it engaged in deceptive business practices and violated state telemarketing laws.

Starion is a retail provider

A recent report issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Private Education Loan Ombudsman recommends actions against scammers who seek to take advantage of and abuse student loan borrowers by offering no-value and sometimes harmful services.

On October 15, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Private Education Loan Ombudsman issued its 2019 Annual Report, which actually

On October 22, a proposed class of over 7,000 former college students filed a lawsuit against Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and the Department of Education (DOE) in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, citing the department’s “enduring refusal to discharge the federal student loans”