Experian secures affirmance of dismissals of FCRA claims surrounding legal question of debt ownership

Client(s) Experian Information Solutions, Inc.

Jones Day successfully represented Experian Information Solutions, Inc. ("Experian") in consolidated appeals before the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, seeking affirmance of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois' dismissals of several plaintiffs' claims under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ("FCRA"). The claims surrounded Experian's reporting of collection accounts that plaintiffs did not dispute they owed, but claimed were not owned by the collection agencies reporting the debts. The Seventh Circuit affirmed, holding that the question of debt ownership necessarily requires a legal determination, a task which is not required of credit reporting agencies under the FCRA. Thus, in the absence of allegations of factually inaccurate reporting, the Seventh Circuit affirmed the dismissals for failure to state a claim.

Chuluunbat v. Experian Information Soultions, Inc., No. 20-2373 (7th Cir.)