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District Court (Oh.) Says Data Breach Case Can Proceed on Negligence Theory Proceeding on Duty to Predict Criminal Act

by Scott J. Hyman |

In In re Sonic Corp. Customer Data Sec. Breach Litig., No. 1:17-md-2807, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 114891 (N.D. Ohio July 1, 2020), Judge Gwin allowed a negligence claim to stand in a data breach case against Sonic.  The facts were as follows. Sonic restaurants are largely franchisee-owned. Sonic Defendants only directly own about 6% of Sonic restaurants. However, Sonic exerts… Read More

District Court (Cal.) Says UCL and Contractual Third Party Beneficiary Theories Do Not Support Data Breach Claim

by Scott J. Hyman |

In Thomas v. Kimpton Hotel & Rest. Grp., No. 19-cv-01860-MMC, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 114170 (N.D. Cal. June 30, 2020), Judge Chesney dismissed part(s) of a data breach claim.  The facts were as follows: In the operative complaint, the Third Amended Complaint ("TAC"), plaintiffs allege Kimpton, an entity that "own[s] or manage[s]" a number of hotels (see TAC ¶ 1),… Read More

Court of Appeal (Cal.) Affirms Defense Verdict for Car Dealer; Says Plaintiff Plays Fast and Loose with Facts Relating to Defendants’ Side of the Case

by Scott J. Hyman |

In Loi Nguyen v. House of Imps., Nos. G056789, G057216, 2020 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 4006, at *2 (June 25, 2020), the Court of Appeal affirmed a jury trial verdict in favor of a car dealer. The Court had some words for the appellant's briefing. The appellant has the duty to fairly summarize all of the facts in the light… Read More

District Court (Mo.) Says Debt Collector Entitled to Assert Collateral Estoppel against Plaintiff Who Lost Identical Claims Brought in Arbitration against the Original Creditor

by Scott J. Hyman |

In Newger v. First Contact, No. 1:20-cv-00039-SNLJ, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 107348 (E.D. Mo. June 18, 2020), the District Court found that an arbitration award in favor of a consumer’s creditor could be used by the debt collector to estop the consumer from bringing new claims. In this case, there is no serious dispute that the arbitral award dispensed of… Read More

District Court (Ind.) Says the TCPA Doesn’t Allow Indemnity Claim against Claimant’s Spouse

by Katherine Figueroa |

We wrote about this issue last year, although the issue remains somewhat unsettled.  (https://www.severson.com/hyman-s-j-and-figueroa-k-contribution-and-indemnity-for-wrong-number-calls-under-the-telephone-consumer-protection-act-vol-73-conf-cons-fin-l-q-84-fall-2019/) In Anthony v. Progressive Leasing, No. 1:19-cv-04431-TWP-MJD, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 105846, at *5-8 (S.D. Ind. June 16, 2020), the District Court declined to allow a counter-claim for indemnity against a TCPA's Plaintiff's spouse who allegedly had provided the number. In her complaint, Plaintiff brings a… Read More

District Court (Ill.) Permits Counter-Claim on the Debt Against FDCPA/TCPA Plaintiff

by Scott J. Hyman |

In Walker v. Westlake Fin. Servs., No. 19 C 6921, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 105794 (N.D. Ill. June 17, 2020), Judge Kendall permitted an FDCPA/TCPA defendant to file a counter-claim on the debt back against the Plaintiff. Walker, however, takes too narrow a view and disregards several relevant facts. Here, Westlake's claim involves "the same parties, contracts, and course of… Read More

CFPB Issues Guidance on Credit Reporting under the CARES Act

by David A. Berkley |

On June 16, 2020, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Bureau) released a series of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding furnishers and credit reporting agencies (CRAs) obligations under the CARES Act.  Here is a link to the FAQs: https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_fcra_consumer-reporting-faqs-covid-19_2020-06.pdf Most critically, the FAQs clarified that when enforcing the amendments to FCRA under the CARES Act, the Bureau "expects furnishers and consumer… Read More

District Court (Ala.) Says Car Dealer is Stuck with Adverse Arbitration Award (and Must Pay Sanctions for Non-Statutory Challenge to Award)

by Scott J. Hyman |

In Hill v. CAG2 of Tuscaloosa, LLC, No. 7:19-cv-02044-LSC, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 104442 (N.D. Ala. June 15, 2020), Judge Coogler held that a car dealer was stuck with an adverse arbitration award. The facts were as follows: On January 9, 2019, Plaintiffs filed their Demand for Arbitration against Carlock, alleging violations of the Truth in Lending Act, 15 U.S.C.… Read More

District Court (N.C.) Permits TCPA Discovery on Previous TCPA Complaints as Relevant on the Issue of Willfulness

by Scott J. Hyman |

In Fitzhenry v. Safe Sts. United States Llc, No. 5:19-CV-394-BO, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 105364 (E.D.N.C. June 16, 2020), the District Court permitted “other complaints” discovery in a TCPA action. Finally, Safe Streets objects to producing lists of past TCPA litigation or complaints, but such information is plainly related to willfulness and the issue of damages and is thus discoverable.… Read More

District Court (Pa.) Says No ATDS Was Used in TCPA Case

by Scott J. Hyman |

In Panzarella v. Solutions, No. 18-3735, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 104746 (E.D. Pa. June 15, 2020), Judge Tucker granted summary judgment to a TCPA defendant on the basis that no ATDS was used under the TCPA. Plaintiffs, in arguing that the ININ system is an ATDS, point to the ININ user manual and a declaration from an expert, Randall Snyder.… Read More

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