Ninth Circuit Expands the Obligations of Companies Using Consumer Credit Reports

On August 4, 2005, a panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Reynolds v. Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. issued a decision that could dramatically change the way your company complies with the Fair Credit Reporting Act ("FCRA").  Any company that uses consumer credit reports for insurance, credit, or employment decisions should review its compliance procedures in light of Reynolds. This alert discusses these developments and their implications for affected companies.