CFPB revises Rules of Practice for Adjudication Proceedings

Agency Rule-Making & Guidance CFPB Adjudication CFPA

On February 22, the CFPB published a procedural rule and request for public comment in the Federal Register, to update its Rules of Practice for Adjudication Proceedings. Under Section 1053(e) of the Consumer Financial Protection Act, the Bureau has authority to conduct administrative proceedings. The CFPB indicated that the amendments would provide greater procedural flexibility, providing parties earlier access to relevant information, expanding deposition opportunities, and making various changes related to “timing and deadlines, the content of answers, the scheduling conference, bifurcation of proceedings, the process for deciding dispositive motions, and requirements for issue exhaustion, as well as other technical changes.” The proposed amendments also propose to simplify and clarify the computation of deadlines and would indicate that motions for extension of time are “generally disfavored” (a list of factors to be considered, however, would be retained). Comments must be received by April 8.