On April 27, 2021, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce held a hearing titled, “The Consumer Protection and Recovery Act: Returning Money to Defrauded Consumers.” This hearing was held five days after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that § 13(b) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (the “Act”) does not authorize the FTC to seek, or a court to award, equitable monetary relief such as restitution or disgorgement. … Continue Reading
federal trade commission act
FTC’s Section 13(b) Powers Undermined by Two Circuit Courts
By Elanor A. Mulhern & Ballard CFS Group on
Two recent Circuit Court opinions have significantly undermined the FTC’s powers under Section 13(b) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTCA). These pivotal decisions may ultimately require the U.S. Supreme Court to clarify Section 13(b)’s boundaries.
First, in FTC v. Shire Viropharma, Inc., the Third Circuit Court of Appeals held that in order to file a suit under Section 13(b), the agency must include specific allegations that a defendant “is violating or about to violate” a law enforced by the FTC. … Continue Reading