BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal court here awarded $19,000 Friday to a law firm suing Guardian CU for failure to post ATM disclosures and a lesser amount, $2,500, to the named plaintiff in the case who filed suit under the Electronic Funds Transfer Act on behalf of non-member users of two credit union-owned ATMs.
The Montgomery credit union had agreed to a settlement of the class action which would pay the plaintiff, Patrick Hart, $2,500 as class representative and set aside $42,500 to pay other claimants up to $100, but the payment of legal fees was still at issue.
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama based its award of legal fees on a separate EFTA suit settled June 1 against Comala CU in which the credit union set up a $42,900 settlement fund and court awarded $20,000 in attorneys fees.
The suits are among dozens brought against credit unions over the past three years under the ATM disclosure provisions of the EFTA.
