Law and legal issues

In her second day of congressional testimony, Kathy Kraninger took heat from Senate Democrats for weighing in on constitutional questions about her agency and for her enforcement track record.

CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger faced a barrage of questions from Democrats on the House Financial Services Committee over why the agency has not demanded refunds for consumers in recent settlements.

A list of upcoming cases published by the high court did not include a challenge to the bureau's constitutionality, but the justices could still decide to review it at a later date.

The two Democrats waded into a court battle over the president's ability to fire a director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The industry had welcomed the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau plan allowing debt collectors to use electronic communication, but some worry about the effect of a court decision concerning email correspondence.

By declaring that she has too much statutory power, the agency’s director has potentially opened a floodgate of litigation.

The shareholders' claims against Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's regulator mirror arguments in cases challenging the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

If the court agrees to hear the case, its conservative majority could make it easier for a president to fire a CFPB director, though other outcomes are possible.

The agency's director told congressional leaders and staff that she backs a Supreme Court challenge to the bureau's leadership structure.

The Supreme Court may be closer to examining a key restraint on a president's ability to change CFPB leadership.

Live Well Financial CEO Michael Hild has been charged with misrepresenting the value of a bond portfolio in parallel actions by the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The industry has long worried that the ability-to-repay rule gives borrowers an avenue to fight foreclosure, but one plaintiff’s experience may discourage others from trying.

President Trump is expected to sign legislation soon that would expand the number of farmers who could file under the more lenient Chapter 12. Ag lenders are worried because farm bankruptcies recently rose and the trade war with China could worsen.

State and federal authorities say the network of firms in upstate New York sought debts that consumers weren't obligated to pay and impersonated government officials, among other things.

The agency had decided not to challenge a recent court ruling that its structure violates the separation of powers, but newly confirmed Director Mark Calabria now appears willing to the fight the case.

The comptroller, now a year and a half on the job, discusses his attempts to revamp the supervision process for national banks and make the agency run more efficiently.

Director Kathy Kraninger said the agency will emphasize a confidential supervisory process instead of just doling out public enforcement actions. But skeptics worry this will let companies escape punishment.

In a unanimous ruling, the court placed new limits on the ability of consumers to sue law firms that handle foreclosures on behalf of mortgage servicers.

Seven years after James Gutierrez left Oportun Financial and started a competitor, the acrimony sparked by the divorce is coming into public view.

The effort comes more than a year after Republicans successfully blocked a CFPB rule that would have banned mandatory arbitration clauses in financial contracts.