source:
  type: regulation
  id: ecoa-15usc-1691e
  authority: ECOA (Equal Credit Opportunity Act, 15 U.S.C.) § 1691e — Civil liability
  description: 'ECOA (Equal Credit Opportunity Act, 15 U.S.C.), §1691e Civil liability. Captured section-complete
    from Cornell LII (verbatim).

    '
obligations:
- id: ecoa-15usc-1691e-a
  canonical_id: ecoa-15usc-1691e-a
  section: 15 U.S.C. §1691e(a)
  description: 'Civil liability — (a): (a) Individual or class action for actual damages Any creditor who fails
    to comply with any requirement imposed under this subchapter shall be liable to the aggrieved applicant for
    any actual damages sustained by such applicant acting either in an individual capacity or as a member of a class.'
  type: do
  tags:
  - regulator-direct
  - gap-fill
  - section-complete
  - usc-statute
  primary_source:
    tier: 1
    authority: ECOA (Equal Credit Opportunity Act, 15 U.S.C.) § 1691e
    source_class: usc-statute-lii
    source_url: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1691e
    snapshot_id: 9e97e7e98a7fbacd
    fetched_at: '2026-06-18T00:00:00+00:00'
    content_hash: sha256:9909f19babeff7b58b3e08e3e184c04bc101389fc91c85c97aab845f9c64f02d
    paragraph_quote: (a) Individual or class action for actual damages Any creditor who fails to comply with any
      requirement imposed under this subchapter shall be liable to the aggrieved applicant for any actual damages
      sustained by such applicant acting either in an individual capacity or as a member of a class.
    drafter_attestation: Verbatim slice of 15 U.S.C. §1691e subsection (a) from Cornell LII snapshot 9e97e7e98a7fbacd;
      body isolated between nav and Editorial/Statutory Notes; substring-verified.
  judgment: false
- id: ecoa-15usc-1691e-b
  canonical_id: ecoa-15usc-1691e-b
  section: 15 U.S.C. §1691e(b)
  description: 'Civil liability — (b): (b) Recovery of punitive damages in individual and class action for actual
    damages; exemptions; maximum amount of punitive damages in individual actions; limitation on total recovery
    in class actions; factors determining amount of award Any creditor , other than a government or governmental
    subdivis…'
  type: dont
  tags:
  - regulator-direct
  - gap-fill
  - section-complete
  - usc-statute
  primary_source:
    tier: 1
    authority: ECOA (Equal Credit Opportunity Act, 15 U.S.C.) § 1691e
    source_class: usc-statute-lii
    source_url: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1691e
    snapshot_id: 9e97e7e98a7fbacd
    fetched_at: '2026-06-18T00:00:00+00:00'
    content_hash: sha256:9909f19babeff7b58b3e08e3e184c04bc101389fc91c85c97aab845f9c64f02d
    paragraph_quote: (b) Recovery of punitive damages in individual and class action for actual damages; exemptions;
      maximum amount of punitive damages in individual actions; limitation on total recovery in class actions; factors
      determining amount of award Any creditor , other than a government or governmental subdivision or agency,
      who fails to comply with any requirement imposed under this subchapter shall be liable to the aggrieved applicant
      for punitive damages in an amount not greater than $10,000, in addition to any actual damages provided in
      subsection (a), except that in the case of a class action the total recovery under this subsection shall not
      exceed the lesser of $500,000 or 1 per centum of the net worth of the creditor. In determining the amount
      of such damages in any action, the court shall consider, among other relevant factors, the amount of any actual
      damages awarded, the frequency and persistence of failures of compliance by the creditor, the resources of
      the creditor, the number of persons adversely affected, and the extent to which the creditor’ s failure of
      compliance was intentional.
    drafter_attestation: Verbatim slice of 15 U.S.C. §1691e subsection (b) from Cornell LII snapshot 9e97e7e98a7fbacd;
      body isolated between nav and Editorial/Statutory Notes; substring-verified.
  judgment: false
- id: ecoa-15usc-1691e-c
  canonical_id: ecoa-15usc-1691e-c
  section: 15 U.S.C. §1691e(c)
  description: 'Civil liability — (c): (c) Action for equitable and declaratory relief Upon application by an aggrieved
    applicant , the appropriate United States district court or any other court of competent jurisdiction may grant
    such equitable and declaratory relief as is necessary to enforce the requirements imposed under this subcha…'
  type: do
  tags:
  - regulator-direct
  - gap-fill
  - section-complete
  - usc-statute
  primary_source:
    tier: 1
    authority: ECOA (Equal Credit Opportunity Act, 15 U.S.C.) § 1691e
    source_class: usc-statute-lii
    source_url: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1691e
    snapshot_id: 9e97e7e98a7fbacd
    fetched_at: '2026-06-18T00:00:00+00:00'
    content_hash: sha256:9909f19babeff7b58b3e08e3e184c04bc101389fc91c85c97aab845f9c64f02d
    paragraph_quote: (c) Action for equitable and declaratory relief Upon application by an aggrieved applicant
      , the appropriate United States district court or any other court of competent jurisdiction may grant such
      equitable and declaratory relief as is necessary to enforce the requirements imposed under this subchapter.
    drafter_attestation: Verbatim slice of 15 U.S.C. §1691e subsection (c) from Cornell LII snapshot 9e97e7e98a7fbacd;
      body isolated between nav and Editorial/Statutory Notes; substring-verified.
  judgment: false
- id: ecoa-15usc-1691e-d
  canonical_id: ecoa-15usc-1691e-d
  section: 15 U.S.C. §1691e(d)
  description: 'Civil liability — (d): (d) Recovery of costs and attorney fees In the case of any successful action
    under subsection (a), (b), or (c), the costs of the action, together with a reasonable attorney’s fee as determined
    by the court, shall be added to any damages awarded by the court under such subsection.'
  type: do
  tags:
  - regulator-direct
  - gap-fill
  - section-complete
  - usc-statute
  primary_source:
    tier: 1
    authority: ECOA (Equal Credit Opportunity Act, 15 U.S.C.) § 1691e
    source_class: usc-statute-lii
    source_url: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1691e
    snapshot_id: 9e97e7e98a7fbacd
    fetched_at: '2026-06-18T00:00:00+00:00'
    content_hash: sha256:9909f19babeff7b58b3e08e3e184c04bc101389fc91c85c97aab845f9c64f02d
    paragraph_quote: (d) Recovery of costs and attorney fees In the case of any successful action under subsection
      (a), (b), or (c), the costs of the action, together with a reasonable attorney’s fee as determined by the
      court, shall be added to any damages awarded by the court under such subsection.
    drafter_attestation: Verbatim slice of 15 U.S.C. §1691e subsection (d) from Cornell LII snapshot 9e97e7e98a7fbacd;
      body isolated between nav and Editorial/Statutory Notes; substring-verified.
  judgment: false
- id: ecoa-15usc-1691e-e
  canonical_id: ecoa-15usc-1691e-e
  section: 15 U.S.C. §1691e(e)
  description: 'Civil liability — (e): (e) Good faith compliance with rule, regulation, or interpretation of Bureau
    or interpretation or approval by an official or employee of Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection duly authorized
    by Bureau No provision of this subchapter imposing liability shall apply to any act done or omitted in good…'
  type: do
  tags:
  - regulator-direct
  - gap-fill
  - section-complete
  - usc-statute
  primary_source:
    tier: 1
    authority: ECOA (Equal Credit Opportunity Act, 15 U.S.C.) § 1691e
    source_class: usc-statute-lii
    source_url: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1691e
    snapshot_id: 9e97e7e98a7fbacd
    fetched_at: '2026-06-18T00:00:00+00:00'
    content_hash: sha256:9909f19babeff7b58b3e08e3e184c04bc101389fc91c85c97aab845f9c64f02d
    paragraph_quote: (e) Good faith compliance with rule, regulation, or interpretation of Bureau or interpretation
      or approval by an official or employee of Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection duly authorized by Bureau
      No provision of this subchapter imposing liability shall apply to any act done or omitted in good faith in
      conformity with any official rule, regulation, or interpretation thereof by the Bureau or in conformity with
      any interpretation or approval by an official or employee of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection duly
      authorized by the Bureau to issue such interpretations or approvals under such procedures as the Bureau may
      prescribe therefor, notwithstanding that after such act or omission has occurred, such rule, regulation, interpretation,
      or approval is amended, rescinded, or determined by judicial or other authority to be invalid for any reason.
    drafter_attestation: Verbatim slice of 15 U.S.C. §1691e subsection (e) from Cornell LII snapshot 9e97e7e98a7fbacd;
      body isolated between nav and Editorial/Statutory Notes; substring-verified.
  judgment: false
- id: ecoa-15usc-1691e-f
  canonical_id: ecoa-15usc-1691e-f
  section: 15 U.S.C. §1691e(f)
  description: 'Civil liability — (f): (f) Jurisdiction of courts; time for maintenance of action; exceptions Any
    action under this section may be brought in the appropriate United States district court without regard to the
    amount in controversy, or in any other court of competent jurisdiction. No such action shall be brought later
    than…'
  type: do
  tags:
  - regulator-direct
  - gap-fill
  - section-complete
  - usc-statute
  primary_source:
    tier: 1
    authority: ECOA (Equal Credit Opportunity Act, 15 U.S.C.) § 1691e
    source_class: usc-statute-lii
    source_url: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1691e
    snapshot_id: 9e97e7e98a7fbacd
    fetched_at: '2026-06-18T00:00:00+00:00'
    content_hash: sha256:9909f19babeff7b58b3e08e3e184c04bc101389fc91c85c97aab845f9c64f02d
    paragraph_quote: (f) Jurisdiction of courts; time for maintenance of action; exceptions Any action under this
      section may be brought in the appropriate United States district court without regard to the amount in controversy,
      or in any other court of competent jurisdiction. No such action shall be brought later than 5 years after
      the date of the occurrence of the violation, except that— (1) whenever any agency having responsibility for
      administrative enforcement under section 1691c of this title commences an enforcement proceeding within 5
      years after the date of the occurrence of the violation, (2) whenever the Attorney General commences a civil
      action under this section within 5 years after the date of the occurrence of the violation, then any applicant
      who has been a victim of the discrimination which is the subject of such proceeding or civil action may bring
      an action under this section not later than one year after the commencement of that proceeding or action.
    drafter_attestation: Verbatim slice of 15 U.S.C. §1691e subsection (f) from Cornell LII snapshot 9e97e7e98a7fbacd;
      body isolated between nav and Editorial/Statutory Notes; substring-verified.
  judgment: false
- id: ecoa-15usc-1691e-g
  canonical_id: ecoa-15usc-1691e-g
  section: 15 U.S.C. §1691e(g)
  description: 'Civil liability — (g): (g) Request by responsible enforcement agency to Attorney General for civil
    action The agencies having responsibility for administrative enforcement under section 1691c of this title ,
    if unable to obtain compliance with section 1691 of this title , are authorized to refer the matter to the Attorney…'
  type: do
  tags:
  - regulator-direct
  - gap-fill
  - section-complete
  - usc-statute
  primary_source:
    tier: 1
    authority: ECOA (Equal Credit Opportunity Act, 15 U.S.C.) § 1691e
    source_class: usc-statute-lii
    source_url: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1691e
    snapshot_id: 9e97e7e98a7fbacd
    fetched_at: '2026-06-18T00:00:00+00:00'
    content_hash: sha256:9909f19babeff7b58b3e08e3e184c04bc101389fc91c85c97aab845f9c64f02d
    paragraph_quote: (g) Request by responsible enforcement agency to Attorney General for civil action The agencies
      having responsibility for administrative enforcement under section 1691c of this title , if unable to obtain
      compliance with section 1691 of this title , are authorized to refer the matter to the Attorney General with
      a recommendation that an appropriate civil action be instituted. Each agency referred to in paragraphs (1),
      (2), and (9) of section 1691c(a) of this title shall refer the matter to the Attorney General whenever the
      agency has reason to believe that 1 or more creditors has engaged in a pattern or practice of discouraging
      or denying applications for credit in violation of section 1691(a) of this title . Each such agency may refer
      the matter to the Attorney General whenever the agency has reason to believe that 1 or more creditors has
      violated section 1691(a) of this title .
    drafter_attestation: Verbatim slice of 15 U.S.C. §1691e subsection (g) from Cornell LII snapshot 9e97e7e98a7fbacd;
      body isolated between nav and Editorial/Statutory Notes; substring-verified.
  judgment: false
- id: ecoa-15usc-1691e-h
  canonical_id: ecoa-15usc-1691e-h
  section: 15 U.S.C. §1691e(h)
  description: 'Civil liability — (h): (h) Authority for Attorney General to bring civil action; jurisdiction When
    a matter is referred to the Attorney General pursuant to subsection (g), or whenever he has reason to believe
    that one or more creditors are engaged in a pattern or practice in violation of this subchapter, the Attorney
    Gene…'
  type: do
  tags:
  - regulator-direct
  - gap-fill
  - section-complete
  - usc-statute
  primary_source:
    tier: 1
    authority: ECOA (Equal Credit Opportunity Act, 15 U.S.C.) § 1691e
    source_class: usc-statute-lii
    source_url: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1691e
    snapshot_id: 9e97e7e98a7fbacd
    fetched_at: '2026-06-18T00:00:00+00:00'
    content_hash: sha256:9909f19babeff7b58b3e08e3e184c04bc101389fc91c85c97aab845f9c64f02d
    paragraph_quote: (h) Authority for Attorney General to bring civil action; jurisdiction When a matter is referred
      to the Attorney General pursuant to subsection (g), or whenever he has reason to believe that one or more
      creditors are engaged in a pattern or practice in violation of this subchapter, the Attorney General may bring
      a civil action in any appropriate United States district court for such relief as may be appropriate, including
      actual and punitive damages and injunctive relief.
    drafter_attestation: Verbatim slice of 15 U.S.C. §1691e subsection (h) from Cornell LII snapshot 9e97e7e98a7fbacd;
      body isolated between nav and Editorial/Statutory Notes; substring-verified.
  judgment: false
- id: ecoa-15usc-1691e-i
  canonical_id: ecoa-15usc-1691e-i
  section: 15 U.S.C. §1691e(i)
  description: 'Civil liability — (i): (i) Recovery under both subchapter and fair housing enforcement provisions
    prohibited for violation based on same transaction No person aggrieved by a violation of this subchapter and
    by a violation of section 3605 of title 42 shall recover under this subchapter and section 3612 [1] of title
    42, if …'
  type: do
  tags:
  - regulator-direct
  - gap-fill
  - section-complete
  - usc-statute
  primary_source:
    tier: 1
    authority: ECOA (Equal Credit Opportunity Act, 15 U.S.C.) § 1691e
    source_class: usc-statute-lii
    source_url: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1691e
    snapshot_id: 9e97e7e98a7fbacd
    fetched_at: '2026-06-18T00:00:00+00:00'
    content_hash: sha256:9909f19babeff7b58b3e08e3e184c04bc101389fc91c85c97aab845f9c64f02d
    paragraph_quote: (i) Recovery under both subchapter and fair housing enforcement provisions prohibited for violation
      based on same transaction No person aggrieved by a violation of this subchapter and by a violation of section
      3605 of title 42 shall recover under this subchapter and section 3612 [1] of title 42, if such violation is
      based on the same transaction.
    drafter_attestation: Verbatim slice of 15 U.S.C. §1691e subsection (i) from Cornell LII snapshot 9e97e7e98a7fbacd;
      body isolated between nav and Editorial/Statutory Notes; substring-verified.
  judgment: false
- id: ecoa-15usc-1691e-j
  canonical_id: ecoa-15usc-1691e-j
  section: 15 U.S.C. §1691e(j)
  description: 'Civil liability — (j): (j) Discovery of creditor’s granting standards Nothing in this subchapter
    shall be construed to prohibit the discovery of a creditor ’s credit granting standards under appropriate discovery
    procedures in the court or agency in which an action or proceeding is brought.'
  type: do
  tags:
  - regulator-direct
  - gap-fill
  - section-complete
  - usc-statute
  primary_source:
    tier: 1
    authority: ECOA (Equal Credit Opportunity Act, 15 U.S.C.) § 1691e
    source_class: usc-statute-lii
    source_url: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1691e
    snapshot_id: 9e97e7e98a7fbacd
    fetched_at: '2026-06-18T00:00:00+00:00'
    content_hash: sha256:9909f19babeff7b58b3e08e3e184c04bc101389fc91c85c97aab845f9c64f02d
    paragraph_quote: (j) Discovery of creditor’s granting standards Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed
      to prohibit the discovery of a creditor ’s credit granting standards under appropriate discovery procedures
      in the court or agency in which an action or proceeding is brought.
    drafter_attestation: Verbatim slice of 15 U.S.C. §1691e subsection (j) from Cornell LII snapshot 9e97e7e98a7fbacd;
      body isolated between nav and Editorial/Statutory Notes; substring-verified.
  judgment: false
- id: ecoa-15usc-1691e-k
  canonical_id: ecoa-15usc-1691e-k
  section: 15 U.S.C. §1691e(k)
  description: 'Civil liability — (k): (k) Notice to HUD of violations Whenever an agency referred to in paragraph
    (1), (2), or (3) 1 of section 1691c(a) of this title — (1) has reason to believe, as a result of receiving a
    consumer complaint, conducting a consumer compliance examination, or otherwise, that a violation of this subchapter…'
  type: do
  tags:
  - regulator-direct
  - gap-fill
  - section-complete
  - usc-statute
  primary_source:
    tier: 1
    authority: ECOA (Equal Credit Opportunity Act, 15 U.S.C.) § 1691e
    source_class: usc-statute-lii
    source_url: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1691e
    snapshot_id: 9e97e7e98a7fbacd
    fetched_at: '2026-06-18T00:00:00+00:00'
    content_hash: sha256:9909f19babeff7b58b3e08e3e184c04bc101389fc91c85c97aab845f9c64f02d
    paragraph_quote: (k) Notice to HUD of violations Whenever an agency referred to in paragraph (1), (2), or (3)
      1 of section 1691c(a) of this title — (1) has reason to believe, as a result of receiving a consumer complaint,
      conducting a consumer compliance examination, or otherwise, that a violation of this subchapter has occurred;
      (2) has reason to believe that the alleged violation would be a violation of the Fair Housing Act [ 42 U.S.C.
      3601 et seq.]; and (3) does not refer the matter to the Attorney General pursuant to subsection (g), the agency
      shall notify the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development of the violation, and shall notify the applicant
      that the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development has been notified of the alleged violation and that remedies
      for the violation may be available under the Fair Housing Act . ( Pub. L. 90–321, title VII, § 706 , as added
      Pub. L. 93–495, title V, § 503 , Oct. 28, 1974 , 88 Stat. 1524 ; amended Pub. L. 94–239, § 6 , Mar. 23, 1976
      , 90 Stat. 253 ; Pub. L. 102–242, title II, § 223(a) –(c), Dec. 19, 1991 , 105 Stat. 2306 ; Pub. L. 111–203,
      title X, § 1085(1) , (5)–(7), July 21, 2010 , 124 Stat. 2083 , 2085.) [1] See References in Text note below.
    drafter_attestation: Verbatim slice of 15 U.S.C. §1691e subsection (k) from Cornell LII snapshot 9e97e7e98a7fbacd;
      body isolated between nav and Editorial/Statutory Notes; substring-verified.
  judgment: false
