Early this year, VPLC received a generous cy pres award—a distribution of money from a class action settlement to a nonprofit organization—from a class action lawsuit handled by Kelly & Crandall, PLC against internet lenders in Virginia. About Cy Pres When a class action lawsuit settles, it’s possible that not all of the money will […]

Student loans make up the nation’s second largest consumer debt market. Over one million Virginians owe $39 billion in student loan debt. Most student loan borrowers have a servicer assigned to their loan. Servicers are a critical link between borrowers and lenders. They manage borrowers’ accounts, process monthly payments, and communicate directly with borrowers. When […]

Learn more about the suite of bills being introduced during the 2019 legislative session that intend to improve foster care for Virginia’s children below. SB 1339 (Reeves) | Foster Care Omnibus. Incorporates many of the suggestions of the JLARC report, including support and supervision of local child welfare agencies. HB 1728/SB 1139 (Reid, Favola) |  […]

Many companies tuck forced arbitration clauses into their terms and conditions. They are in hundreds of millions of consumers contracts: car loans, credit cards, checking accounts, insurance, investing accounts, student loans, and even certain employment and nursing home agreements.  You can be legally bound to forced arbitration by signing a contract or clicking “I agree” […]

If you live in Virginia and get a loan over the internet, Virginia law applies to that loan. Right? Not quite. Many internet lenders don’t follow Virginia law though they are conducting business in the state.  These lenders put into their lengthy contracts that Utah law or the laws of the “Lac Courte Oreilles Band […]

HB 1891 will repeal the ban on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for drug felons who have served their sentences. Under current law, justice is denied to drug felons who have served their sentences but are permanently banned from accessing public benefits. Statistically, most drug felons are from low income households and struggle to […]

Virginia’s Eviction Crisis In the Spring of 2018, a study on nationwide eviction rates revealed that five of the top 10 eviction rates for cities larger than 100,000 and a number of medium and small sized cities were in Virginia. More recent data from local sheriff’s offices and the Virginia Supreme Court further underscores the […]

To intimidate their victims and deter them from seeking help or court protection, abusers sometimes use the justice system as a weapon by filing lawsuits alleging defamation and other wrongdoing by the victims. Such lawsuits are called “strategic lawsuits against public participation”— or SLAPP suits — and are filed because the abuser believes that the […]

Virginia law regulates payday and car title lenders by allowing them to charge extremely high interest rates in exchange for requiring them to be licensed and putting some restrictions on their business practices. Many storefront payday lenders have switched to open-end or line of credit loans to avoid any regulation. Many internet lenders are also […]

SB 1548 comes out of a study of the Consumer Finance Act by the Bureau of Financial Institutions.  The study was in response to legislation to allow internet lending under the Virginia Consumer Finance Act. The Virginia Financial Services Association (an association of Virginia consumer finance companies), the Attorney General’s Office and VPLC have agreed […]

View our “Guide To VPLC ” to see our legislative advocacy team and their main issues.

2019 General Assembly Session Begins January 9th Check out the VPLC 2019 Legislative Agenda! Housing | Consumer | Utility Fairness Evictions Suite of Legislation: Reciprocity of Attorney’s fees Increase the time tenants have to “pay to stay” Limit to filing only one case at a time against a tenant who is behind on rent Prohibit […]