Military Law, Consumer Protection

Spotlight On The SCRA (Part 2 Of 3): Ensuring Compliance

by BuckleySandler LLP on 5/20/2013

Recent enforcement activity has demonstrated the agencies have taken to viewing the SCRA as a strict liability statute. This shift in interpretation makes financial institutions legally responsible for compliance with the...more

CFPB Issues Semiannual Servicemember Complaint Report

by BuckleySandler LLP on 5/13/2013

On May 1, the CFPB’s Office of Servicemember Affairs published its Semi-Annual Complaint Report, which states that the volume of complaints from servicemembers, veterans, and their families has steadily increased since the...more

CFPB issues report on servicemember complaints

by Barbara S. Mishkin | Ballard Spahr LLP on 5/3/2013

The CFPB’s Office of Servicemember Affairs has issued a report on complaints submitted by servicemembers, veterans or their spouses and dependents (“servicemember complaints”) over the period from January 1, 2012 through...more

Federal Reserve Board Responds To SCRA Compliance Questions

by BuckleySandler LLP on 4/11/2013

On March 29, the Federal Reserve Board published its quarterly Consumer Compliance Outlook, which includes the Board’s response to questions raised during a September 2012 interagency webinar on servicemember protection...more

CFPB seeking information on strategies to build financial capabilities for veterans and other special groups

by Barbara S. Mishkin | Ballard Spahr LLP on 4/10/2013

The CFPB is looking for responses by April 12 to two Requests for Information it has filed seeking information on how to build financial capabilities for people with disabilities, veterans in transition, and people who are...more

President Signs Bill Enhancing Enforcement Of The Military Lending Act

by BuckleySandler LLP on 1/14/2013

On January 2, President Obama signed H.R. 4310, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2013, which includes provisions that enhance federal enforcement of the Military Lending Act (MLA). The MLA (i)...more

Congress passes bill giving CFPB authority to enforce Military Lending Act and creating civil liability for violations

by Alan S. Kaplinsky | Ballard Spahr LLP on 12/28/2012

The 2013 Defense Authorization Bill (H.R. 4310), currently awaiting signature by President Obama, makes several changes to the Military Lending Act. Last week, both the House and Senate agreed to the conference report....more

CFPB Fair Lending Updates – Expectations for Enforcement and Regulation in 2013

by Melanie Brody, Tori K. Shinohara | K&L Gates LLP on 12/19/2012

Signaling that 2013 will be another eventful year in the fair lending world, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB” or “Bureau”) issued two items this month that reveal an ambitious agenda for fair lending...more

OCC Issues Bulletin Regarding Extended SCRA Protections

by BuckleySandler LLP on 11/27/2012

On November 19, the OCC issued Bulletin 2012-37, which advises all national banks and federal savings associations of the extension of certain servicemember protections afforded by the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA)....more

National Mortgage Settlement Monitor Seeks Servicemember Complaints

by BuckleySandler LLP on 11/19/2012

On November 12, National Mortgage Settlement Monitor Joseph Smith, Jr. launched a military-specific outreach program to encourage servicemembers to report mortgage servicing complaints using an online form. The Monitor...more

Student Loans: Some Issues to Consider

by Cozen O'Connor on 11/2/2012

Although these are not the only aspects of student loan policy that will come up in the next legislative session, these issues will drive the discussion regarding student loans. Student loan debt is being reported as the...more

CFPB issues report on servicemember student loan debt

by Ballard Spahr LLP on 10/25/2012

A new CFPB report titled “The Next Front? Student Loan Servicing and the Cost to Our Men and Women in Uniform” focuses on repayment issues faced by servicemembers with private and federal student loans. One of the report’s...more

Federal Regulators Host Webinar on SCRA Compliance

by BuckleySandler LLP on 9/18/2012

On September 10, federal banking regulators, the CFPB, and the FHFA conducted a webinar on federal servicemember financial protections, recent changes to the Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act (SCRA), and recent changes to...more

State Law Update: Illinois Enacts Servicemember Protections

by BuckleySandler LLP on 8/20/2012

On August 9, Illinois enacted SB 3287, a bill to expand and create various new protections for servicemembers. The bill clarifies the scope of coverage of servicemember protections by amending the definition of “military...more

OCC and DOJ Announce SCRA Enforcement Action Against a National Bank

by BuckleySandler LLP on 7/31/2012

On July 26, the OCC and the DOJ announced resolution of actions brought against a national bank for alleged violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). The DOJ filed a complaint and consent order in the U.S....more

Financial aid shopping sheet for student loans finalized

by Ballard Spahr LLP on 7/27/2012

A final model “financial aid shopping sheet,” the result of a collaborative effort by the CFPB and the Department of Education, has recently been issued by the DOE. The shopping sheet is intended to serve as a uniform...more

CFPB and State Attorneys General cooperate in military arena

by Ballard Spahr LLP on 7/3/2012

The investigation that led to the settlement announced last week among 20 State Attorneys General and QuinStreet, Inc., the owner of a website that markets educational institutions to military servicemembers and their...more

Federal Agencies Announce New Mortgage-Related Policies to Support Military Homeowners

by BuckleySandler LLP on 6/26/2012

On June 21, the CFPB, the federal prudential banking regulators, and the FHFA announced new policies to support servicemember homeowners. The CFPB, the Federal Reserve Board, the FDIC, the NCUA, and the OCC issued joint...more

Agency Guidance on Mortgage Servicing for Servicemembers

by Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP on 6/26/2012

On June 21, the Fed, CFPB, FDIC, NCUA, and OCC issued guidance to mortgage servicers to address risks related to military homeowners who have informed the servicer that they have received military Permanent Change of Station...more

Spotlight on Auto Finance (Part 2 of 3): New Database to Combat Fraud Against Military and Veterans

by BuckleySandler LLP on 5/23/2012

The federal government is increasing scrutiny of financial services companies’ practices affecting active military members, veterans and their families. Earlier this year, the CFPB along with the FTC, the Department of...more

Executive Order on military educational benefits includes role for CFPB

by Ballard Spahr LLP on 5/1/2012

As reported in a recent blog post by Holly Petreaus, Assistant Director of the CFPB’s Office of Servicemembers Affairs, an Executive Order signed last week by President Obama directs the Secretaries of Defense, Veterans...more

Rights of the Accused and the President's Military Tribunal System

by Dean Andrews on 8/10/2008

In response to the September 11th attacks, President George W. Bush created an unprecedented Military Tribunals procedure outside of all known systems of justice which justifies the indefinite detention of alleged terrorists...more

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Military Law › Consumer Protection