The Center for Responsible Lending, Legal Aid of North Carolina, North Carolina Justice Center, National Association of Consumer Advocates, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, Financial Protection Law Center and Pisgah Legal Services partnered to filed this amicus brief in the North Carolina Supreme Court in Townes v. Portfolio Recovery Associates (PRA).
Townes v. PRA is principally about the interpretation of CEPA, NC’s consumer protection statute, and its requirement that debt buyers to produce “itemized accounting” of alleged debts. Plaintiff Ms. Townes is advocating for a bare minimum standard of proof for debt buyers, to ensure they present sufficient evidence to file suit and obtain judgment. The amicus brief provides important context on debt buyer litigation and the serious impact on consumers should a proper standard fail to be established in North Carolina courts.