The orders released today by the U.S. Supreme Court from its January 10 conference did not include any orders regarding the petition for a writ of certiorari filed by the plaintiffs in Collins v. Mnuchin or the petition filed by the FHFA and Treasury Department.  The case dockets indicated that briefing on the petitions was submitted for last Friday’s conference.… Continue Reading

The issue of the CFPB’s constitutionality is currently before the Fifth Circuit in the interlocutory appeal of All American Check Cashing from the district court’s ruling upholding the CFPB’s constitutionality.  Oral argument was held in March 2019 and no decision has yet been issued.

At oral argument, the panel asked the parties whether it should hold its decision until the en banc court issued its decision in Collins v.Continue Reading

The en banc Fifth Circuit has ruled in Collins v. Mnuchin that the FHFA is unconstitutionally structured because it is excessively insulated from Executive Branch oversight and that the appropriate remedy for the constitutional violation is to sever the provision of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA) that only allows the President to remove the FHFA Director “for cause.”… Continue Reading

In an interesting twist, the FHFA has informed the Fifth Circuit in Collins v. Mnuchin, that despite having previously advised the en banc court that it would not defend the FHFA’s constitutionality, it has reconsidered its position under the leadership of its new Director and will take the position going forward that the agency’s structure is constitutional. … Continue Reading

The pendency of three cases in circuit courts challenging the CFPB’s constitutionality has given rise to speculation as to whether the CFPB will continue to defend its constitutionality under Director Kraninger’s leadership.  The CFPB continued to defend its constitutionality in these cases while under former Acting Director Mulvaney’s leadership.  It did so, however, as a fallback to its primary argument that because Mr.… Continue Reading

In July 2018, in Collins v. Mnuchin, a Fifth Circuit panel found that the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is unconstitutionally structured because it is excessively insulated from Executive Branch oversight.  It determined that the appropriate remedy for the constitutional violation was to sever the provision of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA) that only allows the President to remove the FHFA Director “for cause” while “leav[ing] intact the remainder of HERA and the FHFA’s past actions.”… Continue Reading

The issue of the CFPB’s constitutionality is currently before the Fifth Circuit in the interlocutory appeal of All American Check Cashing from the district court’s ruling upholding the CFPB’s constitutionality.  As a result, the Fifth Circuit’s decision issued earlier this week which found that the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is unconstitutionally structured because it is excessively insulated from Executive Branch oversight could be a preview of how another Fifth Circuit panel might approach the CFPB’s constitutionality.… Continue Reading

Although the CFPB’s leadership transition rightfully remains top of mind for many of our readers, we wanted to recap two developments related to serving consumers who are Limited English Proficient (LEP). In the days before Director Cordray’s resignation, the CFPB officially approved Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s final redesigned Uniform Residential Loan Application (URLA), which added a question about mortgage applicants’ language preference.… Continue Reading

The Federal Housing Finance Agency has announced that it has reopened and extended until September 1, 2017 the comment period on its Request for Input on improving language access in mortgage lending and servicing.  The FHFA previously extended the comment period until July 31, 2017.

According to the FHFA, it took this action “to allow interested parties more time to consider additional information on issues facing qualified mortgage borrowers with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) throughout the mortgage life cycle process, including mortgage lending and servicing.”… Continue Reading