Tuesday, June 30, 2015

debt collection - fdcpa - "materiality"


Jensen v. Pressler & Pressler – 3d Cir. – June 30, 2015

 


 

OPINION OF THE COURT

______________

McKEE, Chief Judge.

 

We are asked to decide whether a false statement in a communication from a debt collector to a debtor must be material in order to be actionable under a provision of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”), 15 U.S.C. § 1692e. We conclude that materiality is required, as it is subsumed within the “least sophisticated debtor” standard that has traditionally governed FDCPA claims. Because we do not find the misstatement at issue in this case material, we will affirm the District Court’s grant of summary judgment to Pressler & Pressler and Midland Funding, LLC.