Quick analysis: Well, this is the final report for the year 2012, and it ended pretty much as it was expected to. Since very early last year, the trend has been FDCPA suits are slightly down, FCRA and TCPA suits are significantly up. The final tally is as follows:
- FDCPA: 11,495 (2012) vs. 12,298 (2011), down 7%
- FCRA: 2249 (2012) vs. 1930 (2011), up 17%
- TCPA: 1101 (2012) vs. 825 (2011), up 34%
You can expect these numbers to be slightly revised after we have had time to more thoroughly review the year, but don’t expect any major reversals of these trends.
Here are some year-over-year numbers for you:
Full Statistics:
There were about 436 lawsuits filed under consumer statutes in the second half of December 2012. Here is an approximate breakdown:
• 358 FDCPA
• 73 FCRA
• 49 TCPA
Summary:
• Of those cases, there were about 474 unique plaintiffs (including multiple plaintiffs in one suit).
• Of those plaintiffs, about 171, or 36%, had sued under consumer statutes before.
• Combined, those plaintiffs have filed about 961 lawsuits since 2001
• Actions were filed in 285 different US District Court branches.
• About 484 different collection firms and creditors were sued.
The top courts where lawsuits were filed:
• 28 Lawsuits: New York Eastern District Court – Brooklyn
• 27 Lawsuits: Illinois Northern District Court – Chicago
• 24 Lawsuits: Pennsylvania Eastern District Court – Philadelphia
• 20 Lawsuits: Colorado District Court – Denver
• 18 Lawsuits: New York Southern District Court – Foley Square
• 13 Lawsuits: Minnesota District Court – Dmn
• 11 Lawsuits: New Jersey District Court – Newark
• 10 Lawsuits: New Jersey District Court – Camden
• 10 Lawsuits: California Southern District Court – San Diego
• 9 Lawsuits: Massachusetts District Court – Boston
The most active consumer attorneys were:
• Representing 18 Consumers: Gus M Centrone
• Representing 18 Consumers: Thomas A Lash
• Representing 15 Consumers: David M Larson
• Representing 13 Consumers: Daniel A Edelman
• Representing 12 Consumers: Craig Thor Kimmel
• Representing 12 Consumers: Matthew James Erausquin
• Representing 10 Consumers: Leonard Anthony Bennett
• Representing 9 Consumers: Sergei Lemberg
• Representing 8 Consumers: Adam J Fishbein
• Representing 8 Consumers: Casey Shannon Nash
Statistics Year to Date:
12735 total lawsuits for 2012, including:
• 11495 FDCPA
• 2249 FCRA
• 1101 TCPA
Number of Unique Plaintiffs: 12566 (including multiple plaintiffs in one suit)
The most active consumer attorneys of the year (Special Top Ten for this Year-End Report):
• Representing 365 Consumers: Sergei Lemberg
• Representing 355 Consumers: David M Larson
• Representing 280 Consumers: Craig T Kimmel
• Representing 200 Consumers: Gary D Nitzkin
• Representing 198 Consumers: Adam J Fishbein
• Representing 195 Consumers: David J Philipps
• Representing 161 Consumers: George T Martin Iii
• Representing 155 Consumers: Daniel A Edelman
• Representing 147 Consumers: Tammy L Hussin
• Representing 140 Consumers: Dennis R Kurz