On June 26, 2024, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB” or the “Bureau”) released its annual Fair Lending Report (the “Report”) for the calendar year 2023. The reporting period ran through December 31, 2023, so any subsequent fair lending developments are not included.

The first section of the Report covers the CFPB’s fair lending enforcement and supervision activities in 2023.… Continue Reading

In the same 2023 bill (House Bill 23-1229) that included Colorado’s DIDMCA opt-out**, Colorado adopted a statute excepting certain “general-purpose credit cards”, as defined, from the state’s limitations on finance charges and fees applicable to consumer transactions, effective July 1, 2024. However, ambiguities in the definition of “general-purpose credit card” have perplexed many in the industry.… Continue Reading

On June 19, 2024, the Fifth Circuit dissolved the district court’s order transferring the case challenging the CFPB’s credit card late fee rule.  In granting the writ of mandamus filed by the plaintiff trade associations challenging the rule, the three-judge panel rejected Judge Mark Pittman’s second order to transfer the case to D.C.… Continue Reading

If this blog post gives our readers a feeling of déjà vu, there’s a good reason—the latest developments in the lawsuit challenging the CFPB’s final credit card late fee rule (Rule) are a rerun of earlier developments in the case.  In response to an emergency petition for writ of mandamus and administrative stay of transfer filed by the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, the Fifth Circuit stayed the latest district court order transferring the case once again to D.D.C. … Continue Reading

In a replay of earlier events, in response to an emergency petition for writ of mandamus and administrative stay of transfer filed by the plaintiffs in the lawsuit challenging the legality of the CFPB’s credit card late fee rule, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on May 29, stayed a District Court order that would have transferred the case to the District of Columbia.… Continue Reading

(As a refresher, if you forgot where things stood the last time you read one of our blogs related to the CFPB credit card late fee rule litigation, click here.)

On Friday May 24, in response to the CFPB’s motion requesting the Fifth Circuit to accelerate the issuance of its mandate from July 9, 2024 with respect to its earlier dismissal of the plaintiffs’ appeal, the Fifth Circuit ordered that the mandate be issued “forthwith.”… Continue Reading

After bouncing from the Texas federal district court to the D.C. federal district court to the Fifth Circuit and back again to the Texas federal district court, the industry lawsuit challenging the CFPB’s credit card late fee rule (Rule) is poised for another round of possible twists and turns in the wake of the U.S.… Continue Reading

Yesterday, the Texas federal district court hearing the industry lawsuit challenging the CFPB’s final credit card late fee rule (Rule) issued the following unusual order:

On March 10, 2024, this Court granted Plaintiffs’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction.  The Court therefore has questions concerning the live causes of actions in this case and what next steps are appropriate to move the case along.… Continue Reading

Last Friday, May 10, the Texas federal district court hearing the lawsuit challenging the CFPB’s final credit card late fee rule (Rule) granted the plaintiffs’ preliminary injunction motion and stayed the Rule.  The Rule was set to become effective tomorrow, May 14.  The district court’s ruling followed the entry of an order by the Fifth Circuit vacating the district court’s order denying the plaintiffs’ motion for expedited consideration of their preliminary injunction motion and remanding the case to the district court with instructions to rule on the plaintiffs’ preliminary injunction motion by May 10.… Continue Reading

On May 9, 2024, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and U.S. Department of Transportation (DoT) held a 98-minute joint hearing on airline and credit card rewards programs.  CFPB Deputy Director Zixta Martinez introduced the panel and public commenters.

In his opening remarks, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg compared frequent flyer and credit card rewards to savings accounts. … Continue Reading