Does ECOA bar discrimination because of sexual orientation and gender identity?

The Equal Credit Opportunity Act bars discrimination in consumer lending on the basis of sex but does not explicitly apply to sexual orientation or gender identity, as some state laws do. Back in 2021, after the Supreme Court’s decision in Bostock v. Clayton County interpreting Title VII, the employment discrimination statute, to forbid such discrimination, […]

The Trump administration’s inconsistent positions on whether discrimination is unfair

Regular readers of the blog will know that the Biden CFPB took the position that discrimination is unfair within the meaning of the Consumer Financial Protection Act, the CFPB’s UDAAP statute. After the Chamber of Commerce sued to block that interpretation and won before a Trump-nominated judge, the CFPB appealed. But before the appeal could be […]

Variable APRs tied to U.S. Prime Rate do not violate CARD Act, Ninth Circuit holds

Under the 2009 CARD Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1666i-1, credit card issuers are generally prohibited from increasing annual percentage rates, fees, or finance charges. One exception to this rule, though, is for “an increase in a variable annual percentage rate in accordance with a credit card agreement that provides for changes in the rate according […]

Sixth Circuit allows TCPA class action to proceed where consent cannot be proved on a classwide basis

David Eliiot claims Humana called him numerous times despite not being a Humana customer, and after he informed Humana that it had the wrong number. He brought a class action alleging this violated the TCPA. Humana opposed class certification on the grounds that whether individuals had actually consented to repeated calls was not ascertainable on […]

NY consumer protections expanded under FAIR Business Practices Act

Just before the holidays, NY Governor Kathy Hochul signed the FAIR Business Practices Act, which expanded the protections for New York consumers under the state’s  General Business Law–a move recommended by the pre-Vought CFPB. Among other things, the statute expands the enforcement powers of the state attorney general, both in terms of the entities and […]

Latest district court order keeps CFPB afloat

The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Tuesday issued an order confirming that the CFPB must continue to operate, smacking down the agency leadership’s recent efforts using re-interpretations of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to argue that the bureau would soon run out of funding. Following a Department […]

Linda McMahon plays the Grinch as ED resumes wage garnishment for defaulted loans

Just in time for Christmas, the Department of Education announced that, for the first time since the first Trump Administration stopped the practice in 2020, it would resume garnishing wages of borrowers in default on their federal student loans at the start of the new year. After red states successfully sued to stop modest debt […]

CFPB plays Scrooge and says paycheck advance loans aren’t loans

The Administration claims that the CFPB will have to shut down next year because it can’t ask the Federal Reserve for funds if the CFPB decides that the Federal Reserve isn’t operating at a profit (a claim being challenged in 3 different actions currently pending in federal district courts in California and the District of […]

7th Circuit Holds Threat of Acceleration and Foreclosure Provides Standing

The Seventh Circuit issued a decision in Milam v. Selene Finance today, an FDCPA case where the Court punted on the merits but addressed standing in a manner that may be notable for practitioners. Ramona Milam sued Selene Finance, the servicer of her home mortgage, after Selene sent her a letter threatening acceleration and foreclosure if […]