CFPB, Federal Agencies, State Agencies, and Attorneys General
HERE IS A LINK TO OUR SPECIAL PODCAST SHOW ABOUT THIS CASE AND ITS ENORMOUS IMPLICATIONS RELEASED ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1.
On September 22, 2025, a panel of the First Circuit Court of Appeals issued a significant opinion in Conti v. Citizens Bank, N.A., holding unanimously that the National Bank Act does not preempt a Rhode Island statute requiring mortgage lenders to pay interest on mortgage escrow accounts.… Continue Reading
The OCC has mounted a vigorous defense of federal preemption, calling it “a cornerstone of the dual banking system, under which federally and state-charted banks operate alongside each other.”
“Federal preemption has proven to be a powerful enabler of local and national prosperity and growth,” Acting Comptroller Rodney Hood wrote in a letter to Brandon Milhorn, President and CEO of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, who called for rescinding the preemption rules.… Continue Reading
In a significant ruling on February 18, 2025, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals determined that the National Bank Act (NBA) does not preempt the procedural “right to cure” notice requirements mandated by the Wisconsin Consumer Act (WCA), reversing a judgment in two debt collection actions.
The court, thereby, determined that this state-level consumer protection was not preempted by the NBA.… Continue Reading
On May 30, the Supreme Court issued its opinion in Cantero v. Bank of America, reversing and remanding the case to the Second Circuit. Rather than articulating a bright line test for preemption, the Supreme Court instructed the circuit court to conduct a “nuanced analysis” to determine whether the National Bank Act preempts a New York state law that requires the payment of 2% interest on mortgage escrow accounts.… Continue Reading
On August 27, we blogged about the Ninth Circuit unpublished panel opinion in Kivett v. Flagstar Bank issued upon remand of the case from the Supreme Court with instructions to follow the guidance of the Supreme Court contained in its unanimous opinion in Cantero v. Bank of America. In Cantero, the Supreme Court reversed a Second Circuit opinion which had held that the National Bank Act preempted a New York State law requiring the payment of 2% interest on residential mortgage escrow accounts.… Continue Reading
In a surprising quick turn of events, on remand from SCOTUS, the 9th Circuit, on August 23, 2024, issued its unanimous unpublished panel opinion in Kivett v. Flagstar Bank, FSB (Kivett II) in which it essentially re-affirmed its earlier panel opinion holding that there is no preemption of a California state law which requires the payment of 2% interest on residential mortgage escrow accounts.… Continue Reading
On July 19, we blogged about comments Acting Comptroller Hsu made before the Exchequer Club on July 17 particularly his decision to review prior OCC preemption determinations in light of the Supreme Court’s recent opinion in Cantero v. Bank of America reversing the Second Circuit’s holding that a New York State law which requires the payment of 2% interest on mortgage escrow accounts is preempted because such law exercises control over a federal power, regardless of the magnitude of its effects.… Continue Reading
On July 17, Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu delivered prepared remarks before the Exchequer Club entitled “Size, Complexity, and Polarization in Banking.”
These were his first public remarks about the Supreme Court’s recent opinion in Cantero v. Bank of America. In that case, the Court reversed a Second Circuit opinion which had held that because of preemption a national bank need not comply with a New York law which requires the payment of 2% interest on residential mortgage escrow accounts.… Continue Reading
On this coming Thursday, July 11, from Noon until 1 pm, ET, we will be holding a Webinar Roundtable about the Supreme Court’s recent opinion on May 30, in which a unanimous Supreme Court reversed and remanded the Cantero v. Bank of America case to the Second Circuit. This is a case of extraordinary importance to national banks and non-banks that partner with them where the objective, at least in part, is to take advantage of a national bank’s preemption of state law.… Continue Reading
On June 10, 2024, the Supreme Court granted the petition for a writ of certiorari and issued a summary disposition in Flagstar Bank, N.A. v. Kivett. The Supreme Court vacated the judgment and remanded the case to the Ninth Circuit for further consideration in light of the court’s recent decision in Cantero v.… Continue Reading
