Legal issues and news

The case over the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's $8 late fee rule has emerged as a flashpoint in a larger debate over "judge shopping," whereby plaintiffs seek venues with judges sympathetic to their complaints.

The CFPB should change its proposal and allow fintechs and other financial services companies the same freedom to innovate that entrenched large banks already enjoy.

Letitia James, the New York state attorney general, sued Citigroup and argued it should be liable for fraud cases involving consumer wire transfers. But Citi said the AG's view would bring about a "sea change in banking law."

Despite advancements in AI for transaction monitoring, financial institutions share little in the way of fraud data, undermining efforts to combat crimes including check fraud.

A federal judge in Texas sided with bank trade groups, agreeing that bank regulators might have overstepped their authority in reforming parts of the Community Reinvestment Act.

The federal court judge determined that Federal Reserve banks are not obligated to grant master accounts. The decision set a precedent that has already been cited in another case.

The steady drumbeat of consent orders against banks that offer banking as a service continues, with regulators telling banks to keep a closer eye on their fintech partners' compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and money laundering rules.

Judge Mark T. Pittman sided with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in ordering the case be moved from Texas to the District of Columbia due to "forum shopping."

A federal judge in New York ruled that the Securities and Exchange Commission can proceed with its lawsuit against the cryptocurrency-trading platform Coinbase, claiming the company failed to register as a securities business.

A lawsuit filed by the American Fintech Council and two other trade groups has implications for other states that also want to keep out high-cost consumer lenders.