October Term 2018 · Docket 17-1307
Does a law firm enforcing a security interest act as a debt collector?
The dispute centers on whether enforcing a security interest constitutes debt collection under federal law.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Mr. Shanmugam argued that enforcing security interests is not debt collection.
Mr. Geyser argued that non-judicial foreclosures are direct debt collection attempts.
Mr. Bond argued that Congress limited debt collector status to one subsection.
Mr. Geyser argued that the statute targets actions to enforce real property interests.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 45-13 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 45-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-49 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 17-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 45-49 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 45-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 43-53 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 43-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 9-33 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 9-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 21-21 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 21-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 51-53 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 51-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 53-17 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 53-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-45 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 39-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 39-19 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 39-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 15-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 41-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 47-51 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 47-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 35-37 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 35-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 41-9 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 41-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 27-35 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 27-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 55-11 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 55-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 41-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 43-53 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 43-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 31-47 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 31-47
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests the scope of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. It asks if enforcing a security interest counts as debt collection.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 53-17 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 53-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 39-19 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 39-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 15-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 41-41
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 7, 2019.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 27-29
What each side wants
the side that brought the case wants the Court to hold that enforcing a security interest is not debt collection.
the opposing side wants the Court to hold that enforcing a security interest is debt collection.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 53-17 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 53-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 39-19 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 39-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 15-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 41-41
What each side says
the side that brought the case argues that enforcing a security interest is distinct from collecting a debt.
the opposing side argues that pre-foreclosure notices function as traditional debt collection attempts.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 53-17 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 53-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 39-19 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 39-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 15-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 41-41
What the justices asked
Justice Gorsuch asked how the statute handles the word threatening.
Justice Breyer asked who falls under part two but not part one.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 45-13 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 45-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-49 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 17-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 45-49 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 45-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 43-53 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 43-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 9-33 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 9-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 21-21 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 21-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 51-53 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 51-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-45 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 39-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 41-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 47-51 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 47-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 35-37 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 35-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 41-9 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 41-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 27-35 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 27-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 55-11 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 55-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 43-53 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 43-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 31-47 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 31-47
Why it matters
This case defines the legal status of law firms enforcing security interests. It determines whether these firms face federal debt collection restrictions. The outcome shapes the regulatory landscape for non-judicial foreclosures.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 53-17 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 53-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 39-19 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 39-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 15-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 41-41
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 45-13 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 45-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-49 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 17-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 45-49 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 45-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 43-53 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 43-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 9-33 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 9-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 21-21 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 21-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 51-53 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 51-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-45 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 39-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 41-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 47-51 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 47-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 35-37 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 35-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 41-9 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 41-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 27-35 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 27-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 55-11 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 55-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 43-53 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 43-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 31-47 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 31-47
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 53-17 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 53-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 39-19 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 39-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 15-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 41-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 53-17 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 53-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 39-19 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 39-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 15-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 41-41
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.