Among other things, the federal TCPA imposes liability for calling/texting cell phone numbers using an Automatic Telephone Dialing System (“ATDS”) without sufficient prior express consent. As defined by the TCPA, ATDS is...more
On April 1, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court in the class action case of Facebook, Inc. v. Duguid, No. 19-511, resolved a circuit court split on the meaning of automatic telephone dialing system (“ATDS”) under the Telephone...more
On July 6, 2020, the United States Supreme Court affirmed a ruling by the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, which found that an exception allowing government debt-related robocalls to cell phones is unconstitutional...more
7/8/2020
/ ATDS ,
Auto-Dialed Calls ,
Barr v American Association of Political Consultants Inc ,
Cell Phones ,
Compelling Governmental Interest ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Content-Based Restrictions ,
Debt Collection ,
Exceptions ,
Federal Bans ,
First Amendment ,
Free Speech ,
Government Debt-Exception ,
Robocalling ,
SCOTUS ,
Severability Doctrine ,
Strict Scrutiny Standard ,
TCPA
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (“TCPA”) generally prohibits automated calls, including text messages, to cell phones without sufficient prior express consent, and imposes a statutory penalty of $500 to $1,500 per...more
3/29/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Declaratory Rulings ,
Emergency Alerts ,
Exemptions ,
FCC ,
Hospitals ,
Public Safety ,
Robocalling ,
State of Emergency ,
TCPA ,
Text Messages
The Seventh Circuit has recently joined the Second, Third, Sixth and Eleventh Circuits in adopting a narrow interpretation of Automatic Telephone Dialing System (ATDS) under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (“TCPA”), one...more
3/3/2020
/ Appeals ,
AT&T ,
ATDS ,
Auto-Dialed Calls ,
FCC ,
Prior Express Consent ,
Robocalling ,
Split of Authority ,
TCPA ,
Telecommunications ,
Text Messages
The Sixth Circuit is the latest court to weigh in on the definition of ATDS under TCPA. The TCPA defines ATDS as equipment that has the capacity “to store or produce telephone numbers to be called, using a random or...more
Recently, the Sixth Circuit in Gary v. Trueblue, Inc., No. 18-2281, 2019 U.S. App. LEXIS 26959 (6th Cir. Sep. 5, 2019), weighed in on the meaning of Automatic Telephone Dialing System (“ATDS”) under the Telephone Consumer...more
9/24/2019
/ Appeals ,
ATDS ,
Auto-Dialed Calls ,
Cell Phones ,
FCC ,
Motion for Summary Judgment ,
Prior Express Consent ,
Robocalling ,
Summary Judgment ,
TCPA ,
Telecommunications ,
Text Messages
Class action plaintiffs’ attorneys may argue that a recent ruling by the Ninth Circuit expands the scope of liability under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (“TCPA”) to include calls or text messages sent on all modern...more
10/29/2018
/ Appeals ,
ATDS ,
Auto-Dialed Calls ,
Cell Phones ,
Class Action ,
FCC ,
Prior Express Consent ,
Robocalling ,
Smartphones ,
Statutory Penalties ,
Summary Judgment ,
TCPA ,
Telecommunications ,
Text Messages
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act, 47 U.S.C. § 227, et seq. (“TCPA”), prohibits “robo-calls” to cell phones, text messages and “junk” faxes without prior consent. It imposes statutory penalties from $500 to $1,500 per...more