Gym’s Trans-Affirming Policy Violates Michigan Consumer Protection Act, Court Says

Would you want to know if your gym was trans-affirming before you paid for your membership? Would it bother you to share a locker room with people whose biological sex was different than yours? One gym’s trans-affirming policy has been up for debate in the courts for years. Now the Michigan Court of Appeals has said that the unwritten policy could have violated the Michigan Consumer Protection Act.

FDCPA Cases Must Show Harm, Sixth Circuit Says

The Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA) shields consumers from abusive, coercive, and deceptive efforts to collect debts. FDCPA violations can result in money damages. But a recent Sixth Circuit Court says before consumers can sue they must first show they suffered harm.

Michigan’s Payday Loan Rules Stay Tough In Spite of Federal Trend Against Regulation

Michigan has some of the toughest payday loan rules in the nation. Even if the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau backs off under new leadership, these rules make sure Michigan residents are protected from abusive lending practices and dangerous debt cycles.

Tired of Telemarketers? These Apps Can Help

Your time is sacred. If you are a busy business professional or a full-time parent, you don’t have time to answer pointless phone calls. Telemarketing is a highly regulated industry, but many telemarketers ignore the rules. Now some software developers have created smartphone apps that could help cut the calls.

Is Michigan’s Opioid Crisis a Consumer Protection Problem?

The number of deaths related to overuse of narcotic painkillers are skyrocketing in Michigan, and across the United States. But could the opioid crisis really come down to a consumer protection problem? The county executives of Oakland and Wayne Counties think so, and they’re taking their theory to court.

Michigan Bill Improves Consumer Protections in No-Fault Law

The Michigan No-Fault Act, which controls auto insurance, has been up for review and possible reform for years. Past bills have unsuccessfully tried to impose caps and restrictions on injured motorists seeking coverage. Now a new proposal takes no-fault reform in a new direction: consumer protection.

Injured Unloading Your Car? Michigan Supreme Court Weighs In on Coverage

Not all car accidents happen on the road. Some people are seriously injured by accidents involving parked motor vehicles. But will your PIP insurance pay for that? The Michigan Supreme Court recently weighed in on what happens when you are injured unloading your car.

5 Michigan Consumer Protection Laws that Protect You and Your Car

 

Purchasing a new or used vehicle is a big deal. So how do you know the dealership is treating you right? Here are 5 Michigan consumer protection laws that protect you and your car.

Michigan Court Decision Puts Patients In the Middle

After an auto accident the last thing an injured motorist wants to think about is medical bills. The Michigan No Fault Act is supposed to ensure they are paid, but a new Michigan Supreme Court decision could put patients in the middle between medical providers and their money.

Blue Water Bridge Injury Case Dies Over Deadlines

For many people, filing paperwork isn’t at the top of their list after a serious personal injury accident. But a recent Michigan Court of Appeals decision in a Blue Water Bridge injury case shows how important it is to get notices filed before the state-imposed deadlines expire, especially when the government gets involved.

Financial CHOICE Act Splits Michigan Representatives

Since 2010, the Dodd-Frank Act and the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have protected American consumers from unfair financial practices. But now the Financial CHOICE Act could, in President Trump’s words, be a “major haircut” to the organization and its ability to protect citizens.

Liblang Law Firm, PC, Wins on Hyundai Lemon Law Lawsuit

What would you do if your brand new car went to the shop 21 times in just a few years? For one Liblang Law Firm, PC, client, that red flag led to a winning lemon law lawsuit.

Resolved to Join a Gym in 2017? Read This First

Every year, thousands of people commit to get healthy in the new year. Maybe you resolved to join a gym or workout more in 2017. If you did, you make sure you do your research, or you could be facing a consumer protection disaster.

Is Michigan’s Consumer Privacy Law Unconstitutional?

What can a magazine do with your subscriber information? Do they have the free speech right to share your information? Or can states like Michigan create consumer privacy laws to protect you from an onslaught of solicitation? It depends on whether the Michigan Preservation of Personal Privacy Act is deemed unconstitutional in a federal lawsuit filed in New York.

Michigan Attorney General Sues Anti-Addiction Drug Company for Anti-Trust

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schutte jointed a multi-state lawsuit against MonoSol Rx and Reckitt, the makers of Suboxone, claiming the company performed illegal anti-trust activities to prevent competition and drive up the cost of the drug. If the law is successful, consumers suffering opioid addiction could be able to get help for a lot less money.

Update: MI Supreme Court Says No to Pandora Privacy

Is it a violation of Michigan consumer protection laws for a music sharing app like Pandora to share your music preferences without your knowledge? The Supreme Court says no. Its decision raises the question of who the company's customers really are.

Is Pandora a Music Lender? Michigan Supreme Court to Decide

When you open up a music streaming app like Pandora, are you borrowing the music (like a video rental) or just tuning in (like a radio station)? Federal and Michigan state courts are weighing this issue right now. And the outcome could mean big changes in consumer protection.

Michigan Consumer Protection Means More Than Fraud

When you hire a professional, you want to know they're going to use the right methods, tools, and expertise. That's what the Michigan Consumer Protection Act is all about. A recent court decision confirms: that means more than just fraud.

Repo Companies Defend Regulation

Michigan legislators are considering two bills that would cut regulations to middle men in the collections industry. But repo companies are saying the changes will hurt consumers and professional repossession officers. They are calling on legislators to enforce the law regulating collections companies, not get rid of it.

Michigan Considers Bill to Loosen Payday Loan Laws

Payday loans are a debt sentence to low-income families across Michigan. But while federal regulators are trying to find ways to crack down on the industry, the Michigan Legislature is considering just the opposite. Two new bills would loosen payday loan laws and make it easier for lenders to take advantage of poor Michigan families.