United States Sixth Circuit

In a suit alleging that a title company violated the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act's anti-kickback and anti-fee-splitting provisions, dismissal for lack of standing is reversed where the plain meaning of the statutory language and the authorities examined by the court indicate that Congress created a private right of action to impose damages where kickbacks and unearned fees have occurred, even where there is no overcharge.

Appellate Information

• Decided 01/23/2009
• Published 01/23/2009

Judges

• Before BATCHELDER and SUTTON, Circuit Judges;  BARZILAY, Judge.

Court

• United States Sixth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  John T. Murray, Murray & Murray Co., L.P.A., Sandusky, Ohio, for Appellants.  Richard H. Carr, Balk, Hess & Miller, Toledo, Ohio, Andrew S. Pollis, Hahn Loeser, Cleveland, Ohio, for Appellees.   ON BRIEF:  John T. Murray, Murray & Murray Co., L.P.A., Sandusky, Ohio, for Appellants.  Richard H. Carr, Balk, Hess & Miller, Toledo, Ohio, Stuart J. Goldberg, Barry W. Fissel, Eastman & Smith, Toledo, Ohio, for Appellees.  Christine N. Kohl, Michael Jay Singer, United States Department of Justice, Washington, D.C., for Intervenor.