Justices Rule for Creditor in ‘Sewer Service’ Debt Dispute (1)

A lopsided Supreme Court majority rejected a credit card debtor’s claim that shady collections practices should have given him more time to sue, in a decision that may leave open other avenues of relief for consumers.

Justice Clarence Thomas’ 8-1 opinion on Dec. 10 said that, absent the application of an equitable doctrine, the statute of limitations in the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act begins to run on the date on which the alleged violation occurs, not the date on which the violation is discovered.

Though the court has recognized the existence of a fraud-based discovery rule, Thomas added that ...