Author Archives: Adam Pulver

Departing DOT takes action against airlines for “chronically delayed flights”

Over the past two weeks, the Department of Transportation has taken actions against several airlines for what the Department refers to as “chronically delayed flights,” suggesting violations of consumer protections.  According to DOT, the airlines are effectively misleading customers as to the actual times of the flights, because these flights so infrequently depart at those […]

No standing to challenge delayed release of title, Eighth Circuit holds

Under Missouri law, lienholders must release their liens within 5 days after payment in full of any moneys owed. According to the plaintiff in a putative class action, Santander Consumer violates this law by waiting fifteen days to send the title after a borrower pays off a car loan. After Santander removed the case, a […]

FACTA, Standing, and Federal Defendants

State and federal courts have concurrent jurisdiction over claims brought under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA). But apart from the merits of a FACTA claim, state and federal courts have different requirements for standing. So when a defendant removes a FACTA action from state to federal court, but the claim does not […]

Ninth Circuit holds consumer lender waived 7th Amendment argument against CFPB

CashCall is a lender that makes unsecured, high-interest loans to consumers via a related company incorporated under the laws of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. In 2022, the Ninth Circuit decided CFPB v. CashCall, in which it affirmed a district court’s finding, after a bench trial, that CashCall committed an unfair, deceptive, or abusive act […]

CFPB sues Walmart for tying drivers’ pay to high-fee banking product

On Monday, the CFPB announced that it had sued Walmart and Branch Messenger for practices with respect to its “last-mile” delivery drivers. The suit alleges that Walmart and Branch opened Branch accounts for drivers, and  Walmart then deposited drivers’ pay into these accounts, without the drivers’ consent. The suit also alleges Walmart told the drivers […]

Manufacturers’ groups issue (de)regulatory wishlist

The LA Times has published a December 5 letter from dozens of manufacturing and other industry trade associations to the incoming administration, providing a wishlist of “regulatory actions that will set the stage for industrial growth in the United States.” Although the list mostly demands a laissez faire approach to business, the coalition acknowledged “that […]

Treasury OIG Finds Taxpayers Spent $842m in fees for Refund Anticipation Loans

Earlier this month, the Department of Treasury’s Office of Inspector General issued a report on refund advance and refund transfer products sold to taxpayers, finding that nearly 16% of taxpayers used such products for the 2023 tax year– with nearly 80% of those taxpayers having worked with just 7 tax return preparation companies. The report […]

NY High Court okays Uber “clickwrap” arbitration agreement

In September, I blogged about a Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision to review an intermediate appellate court decision holding that Uber’s “clickwrap” arbitration agreement was not enforceable under Pennsylvania law, as mutual assent was lacking based on the way it was presented to a user. Today, the New York Court of Appeals issued its own decision […]

On Daubert and Class Certification

The Sixth Circuit today vacated a district court’s certification of 10 classes relating to claims about Nissan’s automatic electronic braking systems. The court first held that the district court had inadequately considered commonality and predominance. It then went onto address a question that has divided the circuits over the past decade- whether expert testimony considered […]

When is a rule “issued”? 5th Circuit says when posted on the web

Courts often grapple with the question of when an agency’s action is final for various purposes. And the answer can be different for different purposes–particularly since various statutory provisions related to judicial review use different words or phrases. For example, 47 U.S.C. s. 402 allows parties to seek review of certain FCC actions within “thirty […]