The Second Circuit’s recent decision in Bruce v. Citigroup, Inc., 2023 WL 4919496, at *1 (2nd Cir. Aug 2, 2023) appears to be the second Circuit Court of Appeals (joining the Fifth Circuit) to specifically hold that a plaintiff may not maintain a nationwide class action in a bankruptcy court for violation of the bankruptcy
Class Actions
FCC Declares Ringless Voicemails Are Subject to TCPA’s Robocall Restrictions
In a recently issued ruling, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) declared that “ringless voicemails” are “calls” subject to the requirements of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). Ringless voicemail technology delivers messages directly to wireless users’ voicemail boxes without ringing their devices. The FCC’s new ruling clarifies that ringless voicemails are treated no differently…
FCC Targets “Ringless Voicemails” for Robocalling Enforcement
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering opening another front in robocalling enforcement by declaring “ringless voicemails” subject to consumer consent and other requirements under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). Ringless voicemails deliver messages directly to wireless users’ voicemail boxes without ringing their devices. Proponents of the technology have long argued that such messages…
New Amendments to the WVCCPA to Provide Additional Certainty for Businesses
In a development that provides some measure of relief to businesses operating in West Virginia, particularly within the financial services industry, Gov. Jim Justice signed into law on March 29, 2021, amendments to the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act (WVCCPA). These amendments appear to provide clarity on certain attorneys’ fees provisions in the…
The Tide Has Turned in TCPA Litigation: The Supreme Court Unanimously Adopts Narrow Definition of “Autodialer” in Landmark Decision
In a landmark decision released this morning, the U.S. Supreme Court finally answered the question that has been at the heart of Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) litigation for decades – what constitutes an autodialer? – and the decision is a huge win for TCPA defendants. In Facebook v. Duguid, the Supreme Court unanimously…
Untouchable No More: Reinforcements Arrive for TCPA Defendants Battling the FCC’s Aggressive Expansion of the Statute
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) was signed into law almost 30 years ago when around 3% of the population owned cellular telephones and no one had heard of – let alone sent – a text message. Since that time, the legislature has substantively amended the TCPA only once to create a government debt exception.…
Big Picture Loans Lands Big Win for Tribal Lenders in Sovereign Immunity Case
In a recent decision by the Fourth Circuit, Big Picture Loans, LLC, an online lender owned and operated by the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, a federally recognized Indian tribe (“Tribe”), and Ascension Technologies, LLC, the Tribe’s management and consultant company successfully established that they are each arms of the Tribe…
CFPB’s Effort to Axe Class Waivers Gets Axed by the Senate
By the hair of its chinny chin chin, the Senate voted on Tuesday to nullify the CFPB’s previously announced final rule that would have prohibited banks, credit card companies, and other financial service entities from utilizing arbitration agreements to block or limit class action suits by consumers.
The vote took place pursuant to the Congressional…
CFPB Arbitration Rule Hits a Roadblock
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a final rule on pre-dispute arbitration agreements on July 10, 2017. The final rule was published in the Federal Register on July 19, 2017, and as such, it is due to become effective on September 18, 2017 (60 days from the date the rule is published). The final…
Supreme Court Rejects “No Injury” Claims For Statutory Damages
Monday morning, the United States Supreme Court issued its long-awaited opinion in Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins (No. 13-1339), which addresses the question of whether a bare allegation of a statutory violation, unaccompanied by allegation of injury, is enough to satisfy Article III’s standing requirements and provide a federal court with subject-matter jurisdiction. The Court reversed…