U.S. Representative Dave Trott of Michigan recently created a bill to protect lawyers engaged in debt collection from the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). If passed, this bill would exempt lawyers from liability in court cases involving abusive debt collection practices. It would also give debt collection attorneys immunity from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Not surprisingly, this proposed bill has raised eyebrows among consumer advocates in Michigan and throughout the country.
Why Trott’s Debt Collection Bill Has Raised Concerns in Michigan and in Other States
According to Trott, his debt collection bill, or, the “Practice of Law Technical Clarification Act of 2017,” protects legal proceedings from federal interference. The Michigan Representative argues that attorneys are already regulated by the state supreme courts that license them. For this reason, Trott and his supporters claim that lawyers shouldn’t be subject to a federal statute (the FDCPA) or a consumer watchdog group (the CFPB).
Those who oppose the bill, however, lead with the following facts.
- Dave Trott started the firm, Trott Law, P.C., which is one of the largest foreclosure firms in Michigan. Trott sold his stake in the firm before he was elected to Congress. Yet, he is set to retire from government office in 2018. It is not unreasonable to suspect that he will return to his practice at this time. If Trott does go back to foreclosure law, he will benefit from his proposed debt collection bill if it passes. Obviously, to the bill’s critics, this represents a huge conflict of interest.
- Interestingly enough, Trott Law P.C. was sued in federal court for alleged FDCPA violations.
- The CFPB has gone after several debt collection law firms for FDCPA violations. These include, but are not limited to, pursuing debt that wasn’t owed and suing debtors from faraway districts.
Opponents of this debt collection bill also argue that the state supreme courts don’t have the time or resources necessary to properly regulate debt collection attorneys. If fact, consumer advocates in Michigan and other states claim that passing the bill would put consumer rights in jeopardy. They point out that, at the expense of consumers, debt collection law firms have violated the FDCPA in the past. So, clearly, if violators are not liable under the FDCPA in the future, their victims will go unprotected.
How Michigan Consumers Should Deal with Abusive Debt Collection Law Firms
Unless Dave Trott’s debt collection bill passes, all Michigan debt collectors are subject to the FDCPA. This means that, even if a debt collector is from a law firm, they may not engage in certain tactics. For example, debt collection agents may not use abusive language against you, threaten you with jail time, or call you at all hours of the night and early morning.
If, however, a debt collector commits these violations against you, or harasses you in any way, you can make them stop. In Michigan, the best way to end debt collector harassment is to call Credit Repair Lawyers of America. When you contact our firm, and experienced FDCPA attorney will quickly end the abuse, no matter what it takes – and for FREE.
The Free and Legal way to Get Better Credit and Stop Debt Collector Harassment
Don’t let debt collectors or collection agencies get away with illegal actions. At Credit Repair Lawyers of America, we’ve stopped debt collector abuse since 2008. We make the debt collector pay you. Our services cost you nothing. How do we do it? All of our fees come from the defendants in settled cases. This is why our clients pay nothing for the work we do.
Let’s start the conversation about what we can do to stop debt collectors from harassing you. Call us today at (248) 353-2882 or contact us via our website.
For more information about Ending Debt Collector Abuse, please visit https://creditrepairlawyersam.com/michigan/michigan-debt-collectors/.
