Consumers' Rights Archives

June 17, 2021 In Blog Consumers' Rights

The Most Vulnerable Americans Should be Protected from Predatory Lending: Let’s Pass the Veterans and Consumers Fair Credit Act

By Leah M. Nicholls, Senior Attorney In 2006, Congress passed the Military Lending Act (MLA) with bipartisan support. The MLA addressed what military leadership saw as a substantial problem: the targeting of members of the military and their families by predatory lenders charging exorbitant interest…

May 4, 2021 In Blog Consumers' Rights

The Tax Code Keeps Legal Help Out of Reach for Harmed Consumers. A Bill Could Change That

By Christine Hines National Association of Consumer Advocates Paul Bland Public Justice Executive Director Fee-shifting provisions in statutes serve to make so many legal actions on behalf of wronged consumers possible, but a serious issue with America’s tax laws is critically undermining them. A critical…

February 10, 2021 In Blog Access to Justice, Consumers' Rights, Forced Arbitration, Workers' Rights

Put an End to Fine Print Bullying: Urge Congress to Pass the FAIR Act

By Karla Gilbride Cartwright-Baron Senior Attorney What Leo Tolstoy said in Anna Karenina about unhappy families could also be said about consumer transactions or employment relationships that turn sour: each one “is unhappy in its own way.” For some types of disputes, a worker or consumer may…

February 5, 2021 In Blog Access to Justice, Consumers' Rights, Forced Arbitration

Chamber Affiliate Recycles Flawed Methodology to Defend Forced Arbitration for Consumers

In 2019, Congress held hearings on the FAIR Act, a bill that would make it illegal to force employment, consumer, antitrust and civil rights disputes into arbitration. The Institute for Legal Reform, an affiliate of the nation’s chief big business lobby – the U.S. Chamber of Commerce – tried to influence that legislative debate with a report claiming that arbitration is actually better for workers than going to court.

January 12, 2021 In Blog Consumers' Rights, Forced Arbitration

Firing Kathy Kraninger Must Be Part of President-Elect Biden’s Economic Agenda

By Paul Bland Executive Director It is no accident that many of President-Elect Biden’s first personnel announcements have been key appointments aimed at strengthening the country’s economy. Biden is sending a clear message that important “pocket book issues” will be a central part of his…

September 19, 2020 In Updates Access to Justice, Civil Rights & Liberties, Class Action Preservation, Consumers' Rights

Public Justice Statement on the Passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Both during her tenure on the U.S. Supreme Court, and in her earlier career as a litigator and advocate, Ruth Bader Ginsburg changed our country for the better. She was a powerful, and tireless, voice for equality and an inspiration to all of us who…

July 9, 2020 In Blog Access to Justice, Consumers' Rights

Hundreds of Previously-Hidden Documents Now Available About Harmful Permanent Birth Control Device Essure

By Stevie Glaberson Staff Attorney Public Justice has long fought against unnecessary secrecy in court. As so many of our cases have shown, court secrecy enables harassment and discrimination and, in some cases, even kills. Nowhere is court secrecy more dangerous than in medical products…

June 29, 2020 In Updates Consumers' Rights

Public Justice Statement on Supreme Court’s Ruling on CFPB Structure

This morning, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau – with an independent director that can’t be fired by the president – as unconstitutional. Public Justice Executive Director Paul Bland had this reaction: “A politically independent Consumer Financial…

April 14, 2020 In PJ Action Consumers' Rights

Call Congress: Protect Families During COVID-19

As the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps the nation and the world, it is impossible to know how long we will be feeling its effects: all we know is that no one will be left untouched. Our frontline workers – doctors, nurses, grocery workers, transit workers, those…

April 10, 2020 In Blog Consumers' Rights

Congress Can Stop the Pandemic From Causing Credit Pain for Decades

Ask your Senators and Representatives to support the Disaster Protections for Workers’ Credit Act By Paul Bland Executive Director In the weeks since the COVID-19 outbreak began, nearly 10 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits. The numbers are historic, the graphs on the front…

Practice Area: Consumers' Rights