D.C. Circuit Issues Landmark Decision Reviewing FCC’s 2015 TCPA Declaratory Ruling and Order, Sets Aside FCC’s Clarifications of an ATDS and Treatment of Reassigned Numbers

Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued its long-awaited decision reviewing the FCC’s 2015 TCPA Declaratory Ruling and Order. In the case of ACA International v. FCC, Case No. 15-1211, the Court, in a 3-0 opinion authored by Judge Srinivasan, granted in part and denied in part the various petitions for review. It set aside the FCC’s clarifications of an ATDS and its one-call safe harbor for reassigned numbers but upheld the FCC’s approach to revocation of consent. The case will now be remanded to the FCC, where the Commission will have an opportunity to reconsider the issues and address the court’s criticisms.

In prior briefing and during oral argument, Petitioners and Intervenors challenged the Order’s considerable expansion of the scope of the TCPA. Petitioners and Intervenors focused on three main issues from the 2015 Declaratory Ruling and Order: (1) the expanded definition of what types of equipment serve as an autodialer, leading to liability under the TCPA for using such technology to place calls, (2) the called party/reassigned number provision, which mandates the imposition of strict liability for any call beyond the first call to a reassigned number, and (3) whether the FCC must give clearer guidance relating to how consumers can revoke consent to receive calls or text messages.

To read our full advisory, please click here. We are reviewing the decision in detail and will have a more comprehensive summary available soon. In addition, Kelley Drye will be hosting a free webinar to discuss the implications of the decision and the future of TCPA reform efforts at the FCC and in Congress. More details will follow in the next few days.