Sheriff v. Gillie
| Docket No. | Op. Below | Argument | Opinion | Vote | Author | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15-338 | 6th Cir. | Mar 29, 0016 | May 16, 2016 | 8-0 | Ginsburg | OT 2015 |
Holding: Assuming, arguendo, that special counsel do not rank as "state officers" within the meaning of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, special counsel's use of the Ohio attorney general's letterhead in their efforts on behalf of the attorney general to collect debts owed to the state or one of its instrumentalities does not offend 15 U.S.C. § 1692e, which bars "false, deceptive, or misleading representation[s]... in connection with the collection of any debt."
Judgment: Reversed and remanded, 8-0, in an opinion by Justice Ginsburg on May 16, 2016.
SCOTUSblog Coverage
- Opinion analysis: Justices reject claim that "special" outside counsel mislead borrowers when they send collection letters on attorney general letterhead (Ronald Mann, May 16, 2016)
- Argument analysis: Justices debate debt-collection practices of state-appointed special counsel? (Ronald Mann, March 30, 2016)
- Argument preview: Does the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act apply to state-appointed "special counsel"? (Ronald Mann, March 22, 2016)
- Court to rule on drunk-driving tests (Lyle Denniston, December 11, 2015)
| Date | Proceedings and Orders |
|---|---|
| 09/15/2015 | Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due October 19, 2015) |
| 10/19/2015 | Brief amici curiae of State of Michigan and 7 Other States filed. |
| 10/19/2015 | Brief of respondents Pamela Gillie, and Hazel Meadows in opposition filed. |
| 10/29/2015 | Reply of petitioners Mark J. Sheriff, et al. filed. |
| 11/04/2015 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of November 24, 2015. |
| 11/30/2015 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of December 4, 2015. |
| 12/07/2015 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of December 11, 2015. |
| 12/11/2015 | Petition GRANTED. |
| 01/21/2016 | Brief of respondents Eric Jones, et al. in support filed. |
| 01/25/2016 | Brief of petitioners Mark J. Sheriff, et al. filed. |
| 01/25/2016 | Joint appendix filed. (Statement of costs filed) |
| 01/29/2016 | SET FOR ARGUMENT ON Tuesday, March 29, 2016 |
| 02/01/2016 | Brief amici curiae of State of Michigan and 11 Other States filed. |
| 02/08/2016 | Record requested from U.S.C.A. 6th Circuit. |
| 02/09/2016 | Record received from the U.S.C.A. 6th Circuit is electronic. |
| 02/10/2016 | CIRCULATED. |
| 02/24/2016 | Brief of respondents Pamela Gillie and Hazel Meadows filed. (Distributed) |
| 03/02/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of the United States filed. (Distributed) |
| 03/02/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of NHS Consumer Law Center filed. (Distributed) |
| 03/02/2016 | Motion of the Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument filed. |
| 03/02/2016 | Brief amici curiae of National Consumer Law Center, et al. filed. (Distributed) |
| 03/02/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of AARP filed. (Distributed) |
| 03/02/2016 | Brief amici curiae of 5 Consumer Law Professors filed. (Distributed) |
| 03/17/2016 | Reply of petitioners Mark J. Sheriff, et al. filed. (Distributed) |
| 03/18/2016 | Motion of the Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument GRANTED. |
| 03/22/2016 | Reply of respondents Eric Jones and the Law Office of Eric A. Jones. LLC filed. (Distributed) |
| 03/29/2016 | Argued. For petitioners: Eric E. Murphy, State Solicitor of Ohio, Columbus, Ohio. For respondents: E. Joshua Rosenkranz, New York, N. Y.; and Sarah E. Harrington, Assistant to the Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. (for United States, as amicus curiae.) |
| 05/16/2016 | Judgment REVERSED and case REMANDED. Ginsburg, J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court. |
| 06/17/2016 | JUDGMENT ISSUED |