Peete-Bey v. Educational Credit Management Corp.

131 F. Supp. 3d 422, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 122456, 2015 WL 5474262
CourtDistrict Court, D. Maryland
DecidedSeptember 14, 2015
DocketCivil No. CCB-15-272
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 131 F. Supp. 3d 422 (Peete-Bey v. Educational Credit Management Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Maryland primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Peete-Bey v. Educational Credit Management Corp., 131 F. Supp. 3d 422, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 122456, 2015 WL 5474262 (D. Md. 2015).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM

CATHERINE C. BLAKE, District Judge.

Janice Peete-Bey . sues Educational Credit Management Corp. (“ECMC”), al-. leging that it wrongfully collected educational debt Peete-Bey assumed nearly two and a half decades ago. Specifically, she alleges conversion, violations of Maryland’s Consumer Debt Collection . Act (“MCDCA”), and violations of the Maryland Consumer Protection Act (“MCPA”). ECMC has moved to dismiss her complaint, arguing that it is preempted by the Higher .Education Act (“HEA”), that it is untimely, and that it does not state a, claim under either the MCDCA or the MCPA. That motion has been fully briefed, and no hearing is necessary to its resolution. See Local Rule 105.6 (D.Md.2014). - For the reasons explained below, that motion will be granted in part, and denied in part.

BACKGROUND

In her amended complaint, Peete-Bey explains that the PSI Institute (“PSI”) “was a for-profit vocational training program that offered computer and data entry skills.” (Am. Compl. ¶3, ECF No. 13.) In the summer of 1989, Peete-Bey enrolled part-time in classes at PSI, which she financed via 'Student loans issued by Crestar Bank. (See id. at ¶¶ 7-9.) Specifically, Peete-Bey" secured $6,625 in Stafford and Supplemental loans, plus an additional $1,725 in Pell grants. (See id: ¶¶ 19, 26.) The total value of those loans exceeded her tuition costs by $2,480; (See id. at ¶28.)

Although Peete-Bey signed up; for approximately eight months of classes, she alleges that she quit her studies after roughly two months. (See id. at ¶¶ 10-11.) That allegation is contradicted by the transcript she appends to her complaint, which indicates that her course work began on [426]*426September 11, 1989, and that she last attended class on March 28, 1990. (See Compl. Ex. 2, EOF No.) In any case, under PSI’s refund policy, Peete-Bey should have been eligible for a refund of 60% of her tuition if she dropped out before completing her course work. (See id. at ¶ 16.) PSI refunded only $1,662.91 of tuition to Crestar on May 1,1990. (See id. at ¶29.) All but $1,313 of Peete-Bey’s loans were disbursed months after she allegedly stopped attending classes at PSI. (See id. at ¶¶ 19,27.)

The Maryland Higher Education Loan Corporation (“MHELC”) originally guaranteed Peete-Bey’s Stafford and Supplemental loans. (See id. at ¶26.) When Peete-Bey' defaulted on those' loans, MHELC paid default claims to Crestar-. (See id. at ¶31.) MHELC later transferred those loans to the United Student Aid Funds (“USAF”) in 1995. (See id. at ¶ 31.) • USAF, in turn, transferred the loans again, this time to the Department of Education, which collected roughly $852.63 from Peete-Bey between 1995 and 1998. (See id.) In early 1998, after Peete-Bey declared bankruptcy,1 the Department of Education transferred her loans to ECMC. (See id. at IT 32.) At that time, PeeteBey’s outstanding balance amounted to $5,640.45. (See id.) ,

Peete-Bey alleges that she had no knowledge of these outstanding student loans until 2000. (See id. at ¶ 35.) Although the Department of Education had collected funds from her between 1995 and 1998, she explains that she “had garnishments for other debts, and did not know that the student loan collectors were also potentially garnishing her accounts.”' (Id.) In 2000, however, ECMC wrote PeeteBey, explaining that she owed principal, interest, and collection fees on her outstanding loans. (See id. at ¶ 36.)

In 2004, Peete-Bay successfully filed for bankruptcy. (See id. at ¶ 37.) At. that time, an ECMC representative informed her via phone that she remained responsible for her student loans. (See id.) Beginning in 2006 and continuing through the following year, ECMC offset Peete-Bey’s federal tax returns and garnished her wages. (See id. at ¶ 38.) It engaged in no further collection efforts for the next four years. (See id. at ¶ 39.) In late 2011, however, “ECMC began aggressively calling Ms. Peete-Bey,” stating that her total outstanding balance had risen to $13,322.90. (Id. at ¶ 41; see also id. at ¶ 40.) When 'ECMC attempted to garnish Peete-Bey’s wages, Peete-Bey resisted, explaining that she had dropped out of PSI. (See id. at ¶¶ 42-44.) The following year, ECMC offset Peete-Bey’s tax returns and garnished her wages. (See id. at ¶ 46.)

At some point in 2012, ECMC conducted an administrative wage garnishment hearing outside of Peete-Bey’s presence. (See id. at ¶47.) Peete-Bey asked'for reconsideration. (See id. at ¶ 47.) The next year, she learned that PSI’s former CEO, Irwin Mautner, had been convicted of fraud in 1993 for misreporting student dropout rates to maintain PSI’s accreditation and its students’ eligibility for financial aid. (See id. at ¶¶ 24, 48.) She then sought legal counsel, who filed on her behalf an unpaid refund application with ECMC. (See id. at ¶ 50.) In conversations with Peete-Bey’s attorney, ECMC indicated that it knew of Mautner’s fraud conviction. (See id. at ¶49.) ECMC denied Peete-Bey’s refund application. (See id. at ¶51.) And ECMC twice reconsidered that application at Peete-Bey’s request, affirming its prior denial each time. (See id. at ¶ 43.)

[427]*427In 2014, ECMC collected roughly $4,700 from Peete-Bey’s federal taxes returns, despite assuring her that it would -not seek to do so. (See id. at ¶¶ 55-56.) That collection, combined with previous tax return offsets and wage garnishments, brought ECMC’s aggregate collection from Peete-Bey to over $14,000. (See id: at ¶ 62.) It then informed Peete-Bey that she had satisfied her outstanding debt. (See id. at ¶ 61.)

Peete-Bey filed this lawsuit in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City in late 2014. (See Compl., ECF No. 2.) She alleges (Son-version, as well as violations of the MCDCA and the MCPA. ECMC removed the case to this court. (See Notice of Removal, ECF No. 1.) After ECMC moved to dismiss her complaint, Peete-Bey filed an amended complaint.2 This motion followed. ...

ANALYSIS

1. Standard of Review

When ruling on a motion under Rule 12(b)(6), the court must “accept the wellpled allegations of the complaint as true,” and “construe the facts and reasonable inferences derived therefrom in the light most favorable to the plaintiff.” Ibarra v. United States, 120 F.3d 472, 474 (4th Cir.1997). “Even though the requirements for pleading a proper complaint are' substantially aimed at assuring that the defendant be given adequate notice of the nature of a claim being made against him, they also provide criteria for defining issues for trial and for early disposition of inappropriate complaints.” Francis v. Giacomelli, 588 F.3d 186, 192 (4th Cir.2009). “The mere recital of elements of a cause of action, supported only by conclusory statements, is not sufficient to survive a motion made pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6).” Walters v. McMahen, 684 F.3d 435, 439 (4th Cir.2012) (citing Ashcroft v.

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Bluebook (online)
131 F. Supp. 3d 422, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 122456, 2015 WL 5474262, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/peete-bey-v-educational-credit-management-corp-mdd-2015.