The FCC voted a 3-2 majority ‘yes’ today on a TCPA declaratory ruling to expand the law in an attempt to prevent unwanted robocalls and “robotexts,” as well as spam and telemarketing calls to wireless phones. The package of rulings also included the approval of robocalling technologies, oral revocation of consent, redefinition of autodialers, as well as other stipulations and exemptions. The rulings addressed 19 petitions for declaratory rulings, one petition for rulemaking and one request for clarification. The rulings, as of this writing, have not been released. The commissioners’ discussions indicate they will address “autodialers,” and some emerging technologies. Exceptions…
Posts published by “Maurice Wutscher LLP”
The attorneys of Maurice Wutscher are seasoned business lawyers with substantial experience in business law, financial services litigation and regulatory compliance. They represent consumer and commercial financial services companies, including depository and non-depository mortgage lenders and servicers, as well as mortgage loan investors, financial asset buyers and sellers, loss mitigation companies, third-party debt collectors, and other financial services providers. They have defended scores of putative class actions, have substantial experience in federal appellate court litigation and bring substantial trial and complex bankruptcy experience. They are leaders and influencers in their highly specialized area of law. They serve in leadership positions in industry associations and regularly publish and speak before national audiences.
The federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued a brief press release yesterday, confirming reports that it would be issuing a proposed amendment to delay the effective date for the “Know Before You Owe” TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure (TRID) rule until Oct. 1, 2015. A copy of the press release is available at: Press Release. The press release simply states: “The CFPB will be issuing a proposed amendment to delay the effective date of the Know Before You Owe rule until October 1, 2015. We made this decision to correct an administrative error that we just discovered in meeting the requirements under federal law,…
U.S. lawmakers urged the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission to reconsider exemptions to the FCC’s new proposal to update rules that protect Americans from unwanted sales calls, saying that the reforms may not be effective in reducing TCPA violations. In advance of the FCC meeting to vote on Chairman Tom Wheeler’s proposal, U.S. Rep. Tony Cardenas, D-Calif., and fellow members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Reps. Jerry McNerney, D-Calif., Leonard Lance, R-N.J., and Gus Bilirakis R-Fla. said the increased TCPA rules in the FCC’s proposal may in fact make it easier for companies to target consumers, rather than…
A prominent property services company recently reached a $1 million settlement with the Illinois Attorney General, resolving allegations that the property services company supposedly wrongfully “locked Illinois residents out of their homes before a foreclosure was finalized,” and requiring the company to submit to 40 new operating standards with monitoring as to compliance. A copy of the Illinois Attorney General’s press release is available here. The Illinois Attorney General stated that the company was “hired by mortgage lenders to determine whether homeowners in default or facing foreclosure are living in their homes. If a property is deemed vacant, [the company]…
The Illinois Appellate Court, First District, recently affirmed the dismissal of a borrower’s petition seeking to vacate a default judgment and order approving sale entered in a mortgage foreclosure action, holding that the borrower waived proper service of the foreclosure complaint. A copy of the opinion is available at: Link to Opinion. The mortgagee sued to foreclose its mortgage under the Illinois Mortgage Foreclosure Law in November 2011. The borrower was served by substitute service shortly thereafter and, approximately five months thereafter, the mortgagee moved for entry of a default. The borrower appeared at the hearing on the mortgagee’s motion for default,…
Large non-bank auto financers will now be supervised by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, according to a final rule released June 10, that also outlines the examination procedures that will be used to evaluate said companies. Citing that auto loans are the third largest category of household debt in America, and the automobile leasing market continues to grow, the CFBP says the rule “will help ensure that larger auto finance companies treat consumers fairly.” The rule change may affect approximately 6.8 million customers of 34 of the largest nonbank auto finance lenders, according to the CFBP. The CFPB’s auto lending supervision will…
In response to a letter from numerous Senators, and in response to “considerable input” from other members of Congress and various trade groups, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau today announced that it will employ leniency in relation to implementation of the TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure Rule. The CFPB’s letter states that the CFPB “will be sensitive to the progress made by those entities that have squarely focused on making good-faith efforts to come into compliance with the Rule on time,” and that the approach “is consistent with the approach we took to implementation of the Title XN mortgage rules in the early months…
The FTC and the Office of the New York State Attorney General will host a “Debt Collection Dialogue,” aimed to be a conversation between government and business regarding consumer protection issues within the debt collection industry, in Buffalo, NY, on June 15. FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Jessica Rich and New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman will deliver opening remarks. The afternoon program will be held at SUNY Buffalo State and will include a break and a Q&A period. Topics for discussion include recent enforcement actions, compliance issues, and consumer complaints regarding debt collection practices. The event will be the first…
The U.S. Supreme Court recently held that a debtor in a Chapter 7 case cannot “strip-off” or void a wholly unsecured junior mortgage under section 506(d) of the Bankruptcy Code. A copy of the opinion is available at: Link to Opinion. The debtors in the consolidated cases both had two mortgages on their homes. The petitioner held a second-position mortgage on each of the homes. The senior mortgage on each home exceeded its fair market value, meaning that the junior mortgages were entirely unsecured and “underwater.” Each debtor moved to “strip-off” or void the junior mortgage liens pursuant to section 506(d)…
The Florida Second District Court of Appeal recently reversed a trial court’s dismissal of a mortgage foreclosure action because the plaintiff bank was the proper party to sue and proved that it had standing. In so ruling, the Second DCA applied its prior ruling allowing “incorporation” or “adoption” of a prior servicer’s records, which essentially allows a subsequent servicer to use a prior servicer’s records if the subsequent servicer verified the prior servicer’s records before using them as its own. A copy of the opinion is available at: Link to Opinion The borrowers obtained their mortgage loan in 2006. Attached…
The Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal recently reversed a final judgment of foreclosure in favor of a mortgagee, holding that the mortgagee failed to prove it had standing to sue. In so ruling, the Fifth DCA also held that failure to provide at least 30 days to cure the default in the mortgagee’s notice of default and right to cure did not prejudice the borrower, and therefore did not constitute a valid defense to the foreclosure. A copy of the opinion is available at: Link to Opinion. A corporate borrower and its principal signed a promissory note and mortgage securing…
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler announced Wednesday that the FCC will move to protect consumers from unwanted robocalls and texts like never before by proposing new standards for TCPA regulation that will be voted on next month. Establishing new rules, closing loopholes, and simplifying the opt-out process for consumers are the three main goals of the proposal, which Wheeler calls “yet another win for consumers.” The FCC considers this proposal to be one of the most significant consumer protection actions since it helped to establish the Do-Not-Call Registry in 2003. The crackdown on robocalls, texts, and telemarketer calls; the number one source of…