Validation Notice Attached to Complaint Results in FDCPA Lawsuit

An attempted validation notice pursuant to 15 U.S.C. §1692(g) attached to a Complaint in a lawsuit may be considered as deceptive and misleading to the “least sophisticated consumer” under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. In Battle v. Gladstone Law Group, P.A., law firm, acting as counsel for Bank of America, N.A., filed a complaint in Florida State Court to foreclose on Gina Battle’s mortgage and to enforce a promissory note. Attached to the State Court complaint and summons was a document entitled “Notice Required by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 15 U.S.C. Section 1692g.” The Notice was presumably served to inform Gina Battle of her rights concerning validation of the debt and provide her with 30 days to request validation of the debt. The summons issued by the State Court along with the State Court complaint informed Battle that she had 20 days to file a response with the court. Battle sued the law firm, Gladstone Law Group, and attorney Ron Gladstone, under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act alleging that they violated the FDCPA because the Notice attached to the state court Complaint was deceptive and misleading to the “least sophisticated consumer.” The federal lawsuit was converted into a Class Action alleging that that the class was so large that joinder of all members of the Class was impractical and that the class was in excess of 100. The District Judge ruled that an FDCPA notice incorporated into a mortgage foreclosure summons and complaint, such as the one used by the Gladstone Law Group, does not necessarily effectively convey notice of the rights to the “least sophisticated consumer.” The Court went on to say that the “least sophisticated consumer” could be deceived or confused when the summons sets out a 20-day deadline to respond to the lawsuit and the attached notice provides for a 30-day deadline to request validation of the debt.
Battle v. Gladstone Law Group, P.A., Case Number: 12-14458-Civ-Martinez-Lynch.

"Least Sophisticated Consumer" Standard Under the FDCPA

The Eleventh Circuit and the majority of federal circuit courts have adopted the “least-sophisticated consumer” standard in analyzing claims brought under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).   The least-sophisticated consumer standard is consistent with FDCPA’s goal of expanding the consumer protections originally provided by the Federal Trade Commission Act.   The purpose of the least-sophisticated-consumer standard, here as in other areas of consumer law, is to ensure that the FDCPA protects the gullible as well as the shrewd.   No requirement of proof of actual deception of the consumer is necessary.
Courts apply this objective standard in order to implement the FDCPA’s dual purpose: to protect consumers against deceptive debt collection practices and to protect debt collectors from unreasonable constructions of their communications to consumer.    The least sophisticated consumer will be presumed to possess a rudimentary amount of information about the world and a willingness to read a collection notice with some care.    However the test also has an objective component in that while protecting naive consumers, the standard also prevents liability for bizarre or idiosyncratic interpretations of collection communications by preserving a quotient of reasonableness.

Massive Student Loan Filings by National Collegiate Student Loan Trust

National Collegiate Student Loan Trust has filed a large number of lawsuits against consumers in the Central Florida Area.  These lawsuits are defective on their face as there are no allegations of assignment stated in the complaint.  Moreover, many of the lawsuits are being filed by a Seattle, WA law firm by the name of Weinstein, Pinson & Riley, P.S. Based upon the failure of these crucial allegations, the lawsuits are ripe for dismissal. Just in 2013, Anthony Colunga of Weinstein Pinson & Riley has filed over 67 lawsuits against Orlando consumers; 36 lawsuits against residents of Seminole County; and, 33 in Volusia County, all on behalf of National Collegiate Student Loan Trust.

National Collegiate Student Loan Trust is a Delaware Trust that is currently pursuing many consumers in the Central Florida area on student loans. In most cases, National Collegiate Student Loan Trust is the holder of a loan but does not have the necessary assignments needed to prosecute the case.

Other law firms that represent National Collegiate Student Loan Trust in Central Florida are:

Pollack and Rosen, P.A.
Anthony Colunga, Esq.
Hayt, Hayt & Landau, P.L. 

Class Action filed againt Udren Law Offices for violations of FDCPA

A class action lawsuit filed in May of 2013 under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act in United States District Court, Southern District of Florida, against Udren Law Offices, P.C., Courtney Jared Bannan and Mark J. Udren. Case 2:13-cv-14219-DLG. The lawsuit alleges that in connection with the filing of mortgage foreclosure actions, the validation notice stated that the consumer must object to the alleged debt "in writing." This practice has been ruled as a false, misleading and deceptive practice under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. See Jerman v. Carlisle, McNellie, Rini, Kramer & Ulrich LPA, 130 S. Ct. 1605, 1634–35 (2010).

Plaintiff, on behalf of herself and other class members, is seeking statutory and emotional damages against Udren Law Offices and has demanded a trial by jury.

[The allegations in the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act lawsuit described in this article are the plaintiff’s version of the facts and must be proven with competent evidence. Moreover, these allegations may be denied or disproven by the defendants.]

Northstar Mortage pursues collection after bankruptcy discharge

On March 18, 2013, a lawsuit was filed by James Dooley under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act in United States District Court, Orlando, Florida, alleging that Dooley had a mortgage with Bank of America which eventually went into default. In August of 2011, Mr. Dooley filed for bankruptcy and received a discharge in January of 2012. The mortgage with Bank of America was listed on the bankruptcy schedules. Notwithstanding the discharge of the note, Nationstar Mortgage continued collection activities against Mr. Dooley attempting to collect the discharged debt.

In an unrelated case, another lawsuit was filed in April of 2013 also under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act in United States District Court, Orlando, Florida, alleges that consumers took out a mortgage with MorEquity. In August of 2010, consumers filed for bankruptcy and received a discharge in November of 2010. The mortgage with MorEquity was listed on the bankruptcy schedules. Notwithstanding the discharge of the note, Nationstar Mortgage continued aggressive collection activities against the consumers including collection calls and collection letters attempting to collect the discharged debt.

Both the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act make it unlawful for any person, in attempting to collect a debt, to: "Claim, attempt, or threaten to enforce a debt when such person knows that the debt is not legitimate, or assert the existence of some other legal right when such person knows that the right does not exist."

Plaintiffs in both lawsuits are seeking statutory and emotional damages against Nationstar Mortgage, LLC and have demanded a trial by jury.

[The allegations in the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act lawsuit described in this article the plaintiff’s version of the facts and must be proven with competent evidence. Moreover, these allegations may be denied or disproven by the defendants.]

Ocwen Loan, Udren Law Offices, sue consumer after Bankruptcy Discharge

A lawsuit filed in April of 2013 under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act in United States District Court, Orlando, Florida, Case No. 6:13-cv-625-Orl-cv-22DAB, alleges that in November of 2006, the consumer took out a mortgage with the predecessor in title of Ocwen Loan Servicing, LLC. In November of 2009, consumer filed for bankruptcy and received a discharge in April of 2010. The mortgage with Ocwen was listed on the bankruptcy schedules. Notwithstanding the discharge of the note, on March 13, 2013, Ocwen and Udren Law Offices sued the consumer for foreclosure in Osceola County, Florida, on the discharged note and mortgage.

Correspondence indicates that Ocwen Loan Servicing was fully aware of plaintiff's bankruptcy for over one year prior the the filing of the foreclosure action. After the federal lawsuit was filed, Udren Law Offices filed papers in the foreclosure proceedings dropping all claims againt the consumer seekign persoanl liability.

Both the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act make it unlawful for any person, in attempting to collect a debt, to: "Claim, attempt, or threaten to enforce a debt when such person knows that the debt is not legitimate, or assert the existence of some other legal right when such person knows that the right does not exist."

The consumer is being represented by N. James Turner of Orlando, FL.

[The allegations in the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act lawsuit described in this article the plaintiff’s version of the facts and must be proven with competent evidence. Moreover, these allegations may be denied or disproven by the defendants.]

Midland Funding, Pollack & Rosen, sue wrong person on alleged debt

A lawsuit filed in April of 2013 under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act in United States District Court, Orlando, Florida, alleges that Midland Funding, LLC and Pollack & Rosen, P.A. sued the wrong person in county court in Orlando. To make matters worse, Midland Funding, LLC, through its managing attorney, Amanda Duffy, filed another case against the same wrong person on the date that the federal case was filed.

The Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act makes it unlawful for any person, in attempting to collect a debt, to: "Claim, attempt, or threaten to enforce a debt when such person knows that the debt is not legitimate, or assert the existence of some other legal right when such person knows that the right does not exist."

Plaintiff is seeking statutory and emotional damages against Midland Funding, LLC and Pollack & Rosen, P.A. and has demanded a trial by jury.

[The allegations in the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act lawsuit described in this article the plaintiff’s version of the facts and must be proven with competent evidence. Moreover, these allegations may be denied or disproven by the defendants.]