Second Circuit: Under TCPA, Consumer Can’t Revoke Consent That is Term in Prior Contract

The case is Reyes v. Lincoln Autmotive Financial Service, and it conflicts with decisions of the Third and Eleventh Circuits.  The TCPA has come in for increasing attention lately, with a recent hearing in Congress discussing possible amendments to the statute.  (HT: Gregory Gauthier) 

Alan Kaplinsky Reports Rumor that CFPB to Issue Arbitration Rule By July 31 and Cordray to Step Down This Year

Here, in the Consumer Finance Monitor.  Alan also notes that the rule can be blocked by congressional invocation of the Congressional Review Act, litigation, or, if Cordray does indeed step down, by a new Trump-appointed director.

Fake Litigation 2.0: Defrauding an Arizona Court to Sanitize Megan Welter’s Reputation

by Paul Alan Levy Ever since Eugene Volokh and I started writing last year about the phenomenon of “fake defamation litigation” — lawsuits filed to suppress online criticism while ensuring that the person whose speech is to be suppressed never has a chance to persuade the court not to issue an injunction — the greatest […]

Articles Praising/Explaining Debt Collection

by Jeff Sovern Our consumer law casebook strives to present a balanced approach, so I am always on the lookout for writings that present debt collectors favorably. In that regard, The Economist recently published In praise of America’s third-party debt collectors.  Here's an excerpt: A provocative new paper by Julia Fonseca, of Princeton University, and Katherine Strair and Basit Zafar, […]

Record-Breaking $60 Million FCRA Jury Verdict Against TransUnion

So Law360 reports here. The jury apparently found that Transunion did not follow reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy, as required under FCRA 1681e, when it reported that consumers' names matched those on a government watch list for terrorists and criminals.

SCOTUS Personal Jurisdiction Case Likely to Limit Nationwide Mass/Class Actions in State Courts

by Jeff Sovern Yesterday, SCOTUS decided the Bristol-Meyers case, limiting the power of state courts to exercise specific personal jurisdiction over out-of-state defendants in cases brought by out-of-state plaintiffs.  State courts can still hear cases, including nationwide class actions, through their general jurisdiction over defendants, as long as the defendant is essentially at home in […]