The practical consequences of telemarketing regulation and the outcomes of telemarketing litigation often turn on how key terminology in regulatory legislation and rules is interpreted. As seen with the ongoing debate over how to interpret the Telephone Consumer Protection Act’s (TCPA) definition of “automatic telephone dialing system (ATDS),” this can be an issue even with terms that are explicitly defined in federal statutes. For a term such as “robocall” that lacks a clear definition, this can be significantly more complicated.
Tag: TCPA
Three More Cannabis Dispensaries Sued for TCPA Violations
As the idiom goes, once is an exception, twice is a coincidence, thrice is a trend. Well, there are so many Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) complaints being filed against cannabis businesses that it is far beyond the realm of idiom. Three different TCPA class actions have been filed against cannabis dispensaries just within the state of California recently.
2021 TCPA Compliance Trends
There’s been a trend in outbound sales and lead generation over the last few years. You might describe it as a gradually constricting strangle on the ability of outbound call centers to actually get through to consumers. It’s no secret that this trend runs a parallel course with the trends of increasing TCPA compliance restrictions and other FCC led efforts to shield consumers from telemarketing abuse.
FCC Issues Declaratory Ruling on Pharmaceutical Trial Recruitment Calls
The Federal Communications Communication (FCC) granted a petition for a Declaratory Ruling relating to an exemption from the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) for non-marketing calls aiming to recruit participants for pharmaceutical trials. The petition was originally filed by Acurian, Inc. in 2014. The ruling relates to an exemption from the TCPA’s restrictions against “making… Continue reading FCC Issues Declaratory Ruling on Pharmaceutical Trial Recruitment Calls
Another Cannabis Dispensary Sued for TCPA Violations
As we have covered previously, the emerging cannabis industry has become a major target for Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) litigation. A recent case from Nevada serves as an illustrative example of the sorts of circumstances that lead to these lawsuits. According to the complaint, two women allege that they visited a cannabis dispensary in… Continue reading Another Cannabis Dispensary Sued for TCPA Violations
FCC Reviews TCPA Exemptions as Mandated by the TRACED Act
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has released a Report and Order modifying the requirements for certain exemptions to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). These modifications follow a review of those exemptions first announced in October as a part of the FCC’s efforts to fulfill Section 8 of the TRACED Act. The main thrust of… Continue reading FCC Reviews TCPA Exemptions as Mandated by the TRACED Act
One Year Later: Tracking the Implementation of the TRACED Act
December 30, 2020 marks the one year anniversary of President Donald Trump signing the Pallone-Thune TRACED Act into law. The law, whose name is an acronym for Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence, is the first major federal telemarketing legislation in more than a decade. An addition to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA),… Continue reading One Year Later: Tracking the Implementation of the TRACED Act
Recent TCPA Cases Demonstrate Risk of Personal Liability for Corporate Officers
One of the more harrowing particularities of litigation of telemarketing regulations is the fact that corporate officers can occasionally be found personal liable for violations by their employees. Two recent cases provide evidence of this sort of risk. Once case—Ramsey v. Receivables Performance Mgmt., LLC, Case No. 1:16-cv-1059, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 236094 (S.D. Oh.… Continue reading Recent TCPA Cases Demonstrate Risk of Personal Liability for Corporate Officers
Middle District of Florida Court Splits on Question of Constitutionality of TCPA Between 2015 and 2020
On Friday, two district court judges within the same district delivered rulings in Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) lawsuits that created a jurisdictional split on the constitutionality of the TCPA between November 2015 and June 2020. These decisions follow two others from this autumn that relate to the retroactive effects of the Supreme Court’s decision… Continue reading Middle District of Florida Court Splits on Question of Constitutionality of TCPA Between 2015 and 2020
Supreme Court Oral Arguments on TCPA Case Focus on Grammar and Technology
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Facebook v. Duguid on the morning of Tuesday, December 8. This was the second major Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) case to be heard in front of the Supreme Court this year. As expected, the arguments centered on the TCPA’s definition of automatic telephone dialing system (ATDS). The… Continue reading Supreme Court Oral Arguments on TCPA Case Focus on Grammar and Technology