California Credit Law Blog


Information and discussion of legal issues concerning consumer credit and how it is calculated.

Author: Mark F. Anderson and Carol McLean Brewer practice at Kemnitzer, Anderson, Barron, Ogilvie & Brewer in San Francisco. Anderson also authors The Lemon Law Blog.

Blawg Related Categories: Consumer Law • States • California • Solo / Small Firm

Recent Posts from California Credit Law Blog


  • Really Free Credit Scores

    Consumers are being bombarded with "free" offers for credit reports and credit scores, but there is usually a catch. The consumer may find the free report means being subscribed to requires monthly charges unless he…

  • Consumer Attorneys Fight for Consumers

    George Washington once said: Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable; procures success to the weak, and esteem to all. Letter of Instructions to the Captains of the Virginia Regiments…

  • Reporting Identity Theft to U.S. Postal Inspectors

    Identity theft victims are often required to obtain a police report in order to help prove they really are victims of identity theft. A problem is that some police departments will not take such reports…

  • Court Holds Statute of Limitations for Telephone Bills is Only Two Years

    A federal statute, 47 U.S.C. Section 415 (a), provides that the statute of limitations for civil actions to collect on unpaid telephone bills is two (2) years. Most state statute of limitations are much longer.…

  • FTC Proposes to Restrict Credit Bureaus Ads for "Free" Credit Reports

    Federal law requires the credit agencies to make everyone's credit reports available at no charge on a single website. The feds allowed the three major credit agencies to design the site. Predictably, the credit agencies…

  • WSJ Report on What You Need to Know about Credit Scores

    What you need to know about credit scores is covered in the Wall Street Journal published 9/9/09. The article points out that there are really many credit scores besides the best known--FICO--and your credit score…

  • Debt Collectors Can't Add Interest to Dishonored Check Debts

    Merchants sometimes contract with check guaranty services that pay the merchant for dishonored checks. These services then attempt to collect the face value of the dishonored check. California Civil Code 1719 allows collectors to add…

  • Credit Checks May be Unfair to Job Applicants

    The NY Times reports that employers are increasingly running credit checks on job applicants. While that may make sense if the applicant is going to be handling money or guard a Brinks truck, it makes…

  • AAA Exits the Consumer Debt Collection Business

    The American Arbitration Association has announced it was dropping its arbitration program for consumer debts. This comes only a few days after the National Arbitration Forum announced it was dropping its consumer debt arbitration program.…

  • Arbitration Forum Exiting Credit Card Business

    The Minnesota Attorney General sued the National Arbitration Forum alleging it was essentially a front for various large banks and collection agencies. NAF falsely held itself it out to be a neutral forum for processing…