Creating a Circuit Split Regarding the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act: Rotkiske v. Klemm, --- F.3d ----, 2018 WL 2209120 (3d Cir. May 15, 2018)

By Hon. Judith K. Fitzgerald (Ret.)

Tucker Arensberg, P.C.

www.tuckerlaw.com

jfitzgerald@tuckerlaw.com

The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued its opinion in Rotkiske v. Klemm, a unanimous, en banc decision yesterday that creates a clear split with the Fourth and Ninth Circuits.  The Third Circuit ruled that the statute of limitations for FDCPA violations is one year from the date of violation, not from the date of discovery.

 

Judge Hardiman, writing for the full court, stated: 

This appeal requires us to determine when the statute of limitations begins to run under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA or Act), 91 Stat. 874, 15 U.S.C. § 1692 et seq. The Act states that “[a]n action to enforce any liability created by this subchapter may be brought in any appropriate United States district court ... within one year from the date on which the violation occurs.” 15 U.S.C. § 1692k(d). The United States Courts of Appeals for the Fourth and Ninth Circuits have held that the time begins to run not when the violation occurs, but when it is discovered. See Lembach v. Bierman, 528 Fed.Appx. 297 (4th Cir. 2013) (per curiam); Mangum v. Action Collection Serv., Inc., 575 F.3d 935 (9th Cir. 2009). We respectfully disagree. In our view, the Act says what it means and means what it says: the statute of limitations runs from “the date on which the violation occurs.” 15 U.S.C. § 1692k(d).

Rotkiske v. Klemm, No. 16-1668, 2018 WL 2209120, at *1 (3d Cir. May 15, 2018)

PRE-PETITION “NEW VALUE” COUNTS TOWARD THE PREFERENCE DEFENSE; POST-PETITION “NEW VALUE” DOES NOT

By:  Hon. Judith K. Fitzgerald (Ret.)

Tucker Arensberg, P.C.

1500 One PPG Place

Pittsburgh, PA  15222

jfitzgerald@tuckerlaw.com

In an opinion that is informative although not precedential, In re AE Liquidation, Inc., No. 17-1794 (May 4, 2018)(which can be found here), the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit considered both the ordinary course and the new value defenses to a preference action.  Regarding the ordinary course issue, the appellate court detailed facts of record that established that collection actions taken during the preference period were unilateral pressure tactics that derailed the defense. 

No Monkeying Around With This Opinion - Naruto v. Slater, No. 16-15469, 2018 WL 1902414 (9th Cir. Apr. 23, 2018)

By Hon. Judith K. Fitzgerald (Ret).

Tucker Arensberg, P.C.

                          

In case you are curious about the extent of animal rights under the law, take a look at this new decision in the Ninth Circuit, Naruto v. Slater, 2018 WL 1902414 (9th Cir. Apr. 23, 2018).  Naruto, an Indonesian macaque, picked up a camera that was left unattended in a reserve by David Slater, a photographer, and took some selfies back in 2011.  The pictures were apparently worthy of publication, so Mr. Slater published them in 2014.  The monkey sued.  Well, actually, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Inc. (“PETA”) sued as Naruto’s Next Friend, for copyright infringement.  The case worked its way to the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, where the court framed the issue this way:

We must determine whether a monkey may sue humans, corporations, and companies for damages and injunctive relief arising from claims of copyright infringement. Our court's precedent requires us to conclude that the monkey's claim has standing under Article III of the United States Constitution. Nonetheless, we conclude that this monkey—and all animals, since they are not human—lacks statutory standing under the Copyright Act. We therefore affirm the judgment of the district court.

 Naruto v. Slater, No. 16-15469, 2018 WL 1902414 (9th Cir. Apr. 23, 2018) (footnote omitted).