On August 10, Massachusetts District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns granted preliminary approval of a $3.2 million class settlement agreement in a Telephone Consumer Protection Act class action filed against Collecto, Inc. The four named plaintiffs allege that Collecto made unauthorized telephone calls to class members’ cellular phones using an automated telephone dialing system in
Illinois Federal Court Refuses to Certify TCPA Robocall Class Action Based in Part on Article III Standing
On August 15, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois denied a motion for class certification in Legg v. PTZ Insurance Agency, Ltd., a putative class action under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit, Christopher Legg and Page Lozano, sued PTZ and affiliated companies alleging violations
Ninth Circuit Holds TCPA Claims Are Invasion of Privacy Claims
The Ninth Circuit in L.A. Lakers v. Federal Ins. Co., No. 15-55777 (9th Cir. August 23, 2017), ruled that a D&O policy’s invasion of privacy exclusion barred coverage for a claim alleging that the insured violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (“TCPA”). The plaintiff in the TCPA case alleged that he had responded via
Seventh Circuit Holds Rule 67 Tender of Full Relief Does Not Moot TCPA Class Action
In Campbell-Ewald Co. v. Gomez, 136 S.Ct. 663 (2016), the Supreme Court held that an unaccepted offer of full relief under Rule 68 to a named plaintiff was insufficient to moot class claims. However, the Supreme Court expressly left open the possibility of a “different result if a defendant deposits the full amount of
Join Us on August 17 for a Clear Law Institute Webinar “Game of Phones: Current Trends in Collection Calls under the TCPA, FDCPA, and other Regulatory Frameworks”
Join Troutman Sanders attorneys James Trefil and Jonathan Floyd for a webinar hosted by the Clear Law Institute on August 17 from 1:00 – 2:15 p.m. In this webinar, you will learn to navigate the various layers of rules and regulations that govern the use of debt collection telephone calls. This presentation will focus on
TCPA Class Decertified in Missouri Federal Court
In a long-running Telephone Consumer Protection Act class action, Missouri District Judge Catherine Perry recently granted defendant Vein Centers for Excellence Inc.’s motion to decertify the class.
As background, Vein Centers is a marketing firm that provides graphic design and other services to doctors. The named plaintiff, St. Louis Heart Center, Inc., filed this putative
New Federal Appeals Court Ruling Provides Ray of Sunshine for TCPA Defendants: Contractual Consent to Receive Calls Cannot be Revoked
Lawsuits under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) have become the second most common form of consumer protection claim brought in federal court. Many of these lawsuits are premised on the idea that a consumer has the absolute right to revoke previously given consent to receive calls. A calling party could be subject to statutory
New Consumer Finance Lawsuits Increase in May 2017, On Pace with 2016
New data from WebRecon reflects an increase in the number of consumer finance lawsuits filed during the month of May. After a sharp decline in the number of Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and Fair Credit Reporting Act lawsuits filed during the month of April, May saw a roughly 30% increase
Federal and State Regulators Obtain Record Judgment Enforcing TCPA Violations Predicated Upon Insufficient Vendor Oversight
On June 5, 2017, an Illinois federal judge awarded $280 million to the federal government and the states of California, Illinois, North Carolina, and Ohio against Dish Network LLC over violations of numerous federal and state do-not-call laws. The district court’s $280 million penalty constitutes the largest ever for violations of telemarketing laws. In addition,
Insurance Company Settles Nationwide TCPA Class Action for $4.25M
On May 31, plaintiffs Jim Youngman and Robert Allen filed a motion for preliminary approval of class action settlement for their pending Telephone Consumer Protection Act action against Florida-based insurance company A&B Insurance and Financial Inc. The case is Youngman v. A&B Insurance and Financial, Inc., No. 6:16-cv-01478-CEM-GJK (M.D. Fla. May 18, 2017).