Law and regulation

Lawsuits against collection agencies and creditors rose across the board in the latest half-month period. FDCPA lawsuits continue to lag behind last year's pace.

The vice president warned voters that the Republican presidential candidate wants to "let the big banks write their own rules again."

Restoring Glass-Steagall would be a palliative just like the Volcker rule: simple to say, hard to do. Even under the 1933 law, financial innovators blurred the lines between commercial and investment banking — almost from the very start.

Restoring Glass-Steagall would be "a palliative just like the Volcker rule: simple to say, hard to do," says consultant Allan Grody. Even under the 1933 law, he notes, financial innovators blurred the lines between commercial and investment banking - almost from the very start. The following are examples Grody cites in his forthcoming book Reengineering the Financial Corporation.Pictured: Sen. Carter Glass and Rep. Henry Steagall.

Last month, in its enforcement action against Capital One, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau collected the first money going into the Civil Penalty Fund.

Pundits often criticize prepaid card providers for having high monthly fees, but the real market pressure is on the fees charged for ATM access. As it turns out, prepaid card users very much want to keep using cash — but they don't want to pay to get it.

Swiss banks are turning over thousands of employee names to U.S. authorities as they seek leniency for their alleged role in helping American clients evade taxes.

Standard Chartered was sued by victims of the 1983 Iran-sponsored terrorist bombing of U.S. Marine barracks in Lebanon over allegations the bank conspired with Iran to hide assets and evade a $2.7 billion default judgment.

The agency is working on a policy statement that would provide big banks and Republican critics of the FDIC's authority with more detail about how systemically important financial companies would be unwound.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has lifted a regulatory order against Alaska Pacific Bancshares (AKPB) in Juneau.

In a speech looking back at the financial crisis, the Arizona Republican was also critical of the Obama Administration for housing initiatives that he portrayed as too timid.

Aspiring bank buyers including Scott Custer of Piedmont Community Bank Holdings believe that proposed capital rules could reduce pricing and premiums for sellers.

JPMorgan Chase, Barclays and UBS are among seven banks subpoenaed in New York and Connecticut's investigation into alleged manipulation of Libor, according to a person familiar with the matter and company filings.

New proposals would require appraisals for "higher-risk" mortgages, and compel lenders to notify borrowers of their right to an appraisal report. But loans meeting the special QM standard would enjoy a lighter touch.

Standard Chartered PLC may have to pay as much as three times more than the $340 million it was fined by a New York regulator to settle all the probes by regulators into its transactions for Iranian clients.

Beltway politics is hurting bank M&A, consumer confidence — but it's also time for bankers to stop opposing Dodd-Frank, says the former Obama chief of staff.

Though Mitt Romney has said he'd repeal Dodd-Frank, many opponents of the legislation aren't expecting a full repeal, but rather incremental changes, according to a Washington Post WonkBlog piece.

Federal regulators issued proposals on Wednesday that would make home appraisals essentially compulsory in certain cases before banks can approve a loan.

The rules for mortgage servicing were written primarily for the largest players, but it is the smaller ones that will have the hardest time absorbing the costs.

The market for mortgage securities backed by the U.S. government is the smallest in three years, bolstering the value of the debt and potentially expanding the effects of any new buying by the Federal Reserve.