Class, Individual Litigation

This article examines an April 21, 2022, Supreme Court decision with important application to the equitable tolling of limitations periods found in federal consumer statutes. The article explains when equitable tolling should be available, lists actions justifying equitable tolling, and considers other approaches to extending limitations periods, including the fraud discovery rule.

The Supreme Court’s decision in TransUnion L.L.C. v. Ramirez, 141 S. Ct. 2190 (2021), creates serious constitutional standing obstacles for consumer litigation in federal court, particularly for class actions and claims seeking statutory damages. As explained in another NCLC article, Ramirez held that a credit reporting agency’s false identification of class members as terrorists did not cause...

The Supreme Court’s June 25 Ramirez decision reshapes constitutional standing for federal court FCRA, FDCPA, TILA, TCPA, RESPA and other individual and class cases based on consumer statutes. This article details Ramirez’s practice implications for varied types of consumer injury, provides pleading and proof tips, and explains how initiating a case in state court may alleviate standing problems.

A favorable March 25, 2021, Supreme Court ruling allows consumers to bring claims in their home state against out-of-state companies, even where the companies had no contact with the consumer in the consumer’s state of residence. This article explains the Court’s holding and then suggests nine types of cases where the ruling can help advance consumer litigation.

This article examines nine ways that manufactured home creditors face unique legal exposure to consumer claims and remedies, including recent developments that may increase such creditor liability. Examples are a federal ban on arbitration clauses in manufactured home credit, special statutes making manufactured home creditors liable for warranty violations, statutory damages of tens of thousands of dollars for UCC Article 9 violations, and more.

The Supreme Court’s January 20 Gomez decision holds that an unaccepted settlement offer or offer of judgment making the class representative whole does not moot out a class action. This important decision for consumer class actions is discussed here.

On March 22, the Supreme Court ruled, despite differences among class members, that representative and statistical evidence could be the basis for a class certification ruling. The case is described more fully in this article.

Analyses and briefs to facilitate individual rights representation, addressing standing challenges based on the Supreme Court’s May 16, 2016, decision in Spokeo v. Robins: Statute-Specific Spokeo Analyses Telephone Consumer Protection Act Spokeo analysis: For subscribers to Federal Deception Law For non-subscribers Truth in Lending Act Spokeo analysis: For subscribers to Truth in Lending General...

This article examines new and old ways to maximize attorney fee recoveries where the consumer has used the FTC Holder Notice to sue a creditor based on seller-related claims. The article also debunks five myths that are often used to try to limit consumer recoveries under the FTC Holder Notice.

It is increasingly likely that cases currently awaiting decision before the Supreme Court will be decided by eight justices. Two of the cases argued last fall and now awaiting decision could have dramatic impacts on consumer law and class action practices, and this article describes the implications if those cases result in a 4 to 4 tie. Spokeo v. Robins Described Spokeo v. Robins is a Fair Credit...