Filed Date: Oct. 26, 1984
Closed Date: Feb. 6, 1987
Clearinghouse coding complete
Plaintiffs, an African-American couple and a housing non-profit, filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, alleging violations of the federal civil rights statute, 42 U.S.C. 1982, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), 15 U.S.C. 1691, and the Fair Housing Act (FHA), 42 U.S.C. 3601-3619. The individual plaintiffs had applied for a home equity loan from the Defendant-lender and, after being rejected for the loan, they alleged that the Defendant had based its decision on the racial identity of the plaintiffs and the racial composition of their neighborhood. The Defendant claimed that the value of the plaintiffs' home would not support the amount of the home equity loan.
On February 6, 1987, Judge James T. Moody granted the Defendant's motion for a directed verdict on all counts. Thomas v. First Federal Sav. Bank, 653 F. Supp. 1330 (N.D. Ind. 1987). Judge Moody found that the Plaintiffs had failed to adduce evidence of illegal discrimination since the Plaintiffs did not satisfy the Defendant-bank's objective standards for receipt of a loan.
Summary Authors
Andrew Nash (6/2/2008)
Moody, James Tyne (Indiana)
Marshall, Albert Jr. (Indiana)
Parr, Rosalind (Indiana)
Cuppy, Fred (Indiana)
Schmidt, Kathryn D. (Indiana)
Moody, James Tyne (Indiana)
Last updated July 3, 2023, 3:01 a.m.
Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.State / Territory: Indiana
Case Type(s):
Fair Housing/Lending/Insurance
Key Dates
Filing Date: Oct. 26, 1984
Closing Date: Feb. 6, 1987
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Black homeowners who were refused granting a second mortgage on their home by lenders and a not-for-profit corporation whose goal is to further the Fair Housing Act.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
First Federal Savings Bank of Indiana, Private Entity/Person
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Fair Housing Act/Fair Housing Amendments Act (FHAA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 3601 et seq.
Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), 15 U.S.C. § 1691
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Defendant
Nature of Relief:
Source of Relief:
Issues
General:
Discrimination-area:
Discrimination-basis:
Race: