Balch’s Consumer Finance Compass: How Standing Can Make or Break Certification for Class Action Lawsuits in Debt Collection
Navigating New York City's New Debt Collection Rules — The Consumer Finance Podcast
Podcast - The CFPB's Effort to Remove Medical Debt from Credit Reports
Navigating Hot Topics in Consumer Finance: Litigation Trends, Regulatory Changes, and Medical Debt Collection – The Consumer Finance Podcast
FTC and CFPB Focus on Medical, Rental Debt Collection Practices
Year in Review and a Look Ahead: Navigating the Debt Collection Landscape — The Consumer Finance Podcast
Consumer Finance Monitor Podcast Episode: Recent Federal and State Debt Collection Developments
Keeping Up With the Bureau Episode 4: Hot Topics in Collections: Fees, Reg F Landscape, and What’s Next - The Consumer Finance Podcast
Fair Lending 101 for Debt Collectors - The Consumer Finance Podcast
Credit Eco to Go Podcast: Demystifying the Debt Collection Rule
Dancing to Their Own Tune: Empowering Consumers Through Self-Service
Can My Creditors Put me In Jail?
20 Things a Debt Collector Can't Do
5 Reasons Consumers Should File an FDCPA Lawsuit
Why You Should Enter into a Payment Plan with a Junk Debt Buyer
Beginners Guide to Debt Collection Lawsuits by Portfolio Recovery Associates
Quick Guide to Stopping Collection Calls.
3 Proven Strategies for Dealing with a Midland Funding Lawsuit
The TCPA: Basics, Targeted Industries, and Trends
Can I collect my judgment if the other side is appealing?
On August 13, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted in part and denied in part the defendant’s motion for summary judgment, allowing the plaintiff’s claim under the FCRA against a bank to...more
On August 8, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) published a series of proposed rules aimed at redefining what constitutes a “larger participant” in several key financial markets. Under § 1024 of the...more
The second quarter of 2025 delivered a noticeable uptick in consumer protection lawsuits targeting banks and other financial institutions. FCRA filings jumped about 12% year-over-year, TCPA cases spiked as much as 39% in...more
On August 7, Illinois enacted Senate Bill 2457, amending the Collection Agency Act and removing its January 1, 2026 repeal date under the Regulatory Sunset Act. The law retains the licensing framework for collection agencies...more
On August 8, the CFPB published four advance notices of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register seeking public comment to reconsider the test for defining larger participants in the consumer reporting, debt collection,...more
On July 28, The New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) announced that its amended debt-collection rule, scheduled to take effect on October 1, 2025, has been postponed, leaving the industry in limbo...more
After a debt collector filed suit to collect an expired debt, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit held that the debt collector could not later compel arbitration of the debtor’s class action because arbitration...more
On July 24, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek signed House Bill 3865 (HB 3865) into law, introducing significant changes to the regulation of telephone solicitations within the state. This new legislation narrows the permissible...more
You’ve navigated the complexities of litigation, meticulously built your case, and ultimately secured a judgment. The sense of victory is palpable, and you hold in your hand that seemingly definitive court order. However,...more
In our Consumer Finance Compass series, Balch’s Jason Tompkins offers a preview of his upcoming presentation for the Association of Credit & Collection Professionals (ACA) Convention 2025, titled “Class Action Lawsuits in...more
Class actions are on the rise. Is your business ready to protect itself? Hi, I'm Jason Tompkins, a member of Balch's Consumer Finance Compliance and Defense Practice. Debt collectors are frequent targets of class actions...more
In a recent decision from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, the court granted summary judgment in favor of the defendants in a Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and Texas Debt Collection Act...more
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) continues to redefine its priorities, and among the many policies targeted for change, the “Registry of Nonbank Covered Persons Subject to Certain Agency and Court Orders”...more
The Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act (FCCPA) – Florida's state-law version of the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) – has long been the subject of consumer protection lawsuits, including, in recent...more
On June 9, Maine Governor Janet Mills signed into law LD558, which prohibits the reporting of medical debt to consumer reporting agencies. The law bars medical creditors, debt collectors, and debt buyers from furnishing...more
Join attorneys Melissa Tula Smith and Rachel Rogers as they dive deep into the complex world of consumer collection law. This informative podcast breaks down key federal regulations like the FDCPA, TCPA, and FCRA, exploring...more
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed legislation making it clear that debt collection emails sent between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. do not violate Florida law....more
On March 14, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit vacated the dismissal of a lawsuit alleging a failure to reasonably investigate a disputed debt. The lawsuit concerned a consumer who disputed a debt that she...more
On May 16, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law CS/CS/SB 232, aimed at refining debt collection practices within the state. Among other things, the amendment to the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act clarifies...more
On April 30, the South Carolina Supreme Court reversed course by declining to issue a ruling on debt-collection practices. The state high court issued an order dismissing the case, ruling that a writ of certiorari was...more
In a recent decision from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, the court granted a motion to dismiss in favor of a debt collection law firm and one of its attorneys who were not licensed as debt...more
On March 13, 2025, New York State took a significant step towards bolstering its consumer and small business protections with the introduction of the Fostering Affordability and Integrity Through Reasonable (FAIR) Business...more
On February 27, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) successfully obtained a temporary restraining order against Blackrock Services, Inc. and its associated entities and individuals. The court order aims to halt the defendants’...more
This week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit issued a decision reversing a summary judgment order in a Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) case. The court found that there were genuine issues of...more
In January 2025, the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) issued a Notice of Change of Effective Date (Notice), further delaying the effective date for the final rules relating to debt collectors...more