Case: United States of America v. Suntrust Mortgage, Inc.
3:12-cv-00397 | U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
Filed Date: May 31, 2012
Closed Date: 2016
Clearinghouse coding complete
Case Summary
On May 31, 2012, the United States Department of Justice ("DOJ"), on behalf of over 20,000 African American and Hispanic borrowers, filed this lawsuit under the Fair Housing and Equal Credit Opportunity Acts against SunTrust Mortgage in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The DOJ asked the court for injunctive and monetary relief, claiming that the defendant engaged in discriminatory lending practices that adversely affected African American and Hispanic borrowers. Specificlly, Plaintiffs claimed that from 2005 to 2009, Defendant engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination on the basis of race and national origin in residential mortgage lending.
On September 14, 2012, the Court approved a consent order resolving the plaintiffs' claims. The settlement provided $21 million in compensation for African American and Hispanic borrowers who were charged higher fees based on their race or national origin. The settlement also required the defendant to continue using the new policies and practices that it adopted during negotiations leading up to the lawsuit and that avoided discriminatory practices by the mortgage lenders.
On November 4, 2016, Judge Robert E. Payne signed off on the parties Consent Order of Dismissal with Prejudice. The order stipulated that two organizations which received a portion of the settlement, The Up Center and Tallahassee Lenders' Consortium, and had not yet spent all of the money distributed to them. The order states that these organizations had until November 30, 2016 and January 15, 2017 respectively to spend those funds in accordance with the 2012 Consent Order, or they will return unutilized money to SunTrust.
The case is now closed.
Summary Authors
Gregory Pitt (7/16/2012)
Asma Husain (2/16/2016)
Edward Cullen (3/21/2019)
People
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4406027/parties/united-states-v-suntrust-mortgage-inc/
Holder, Eric H. Jr. (District of Columbia)
Macbride, Neil H (Virginia)
Mcintosh, Robert P (Virginia)
Jensen, Kirk D. (District of Columbia)
Kasmar, Caitlin Marie (District of Columbia)
Documents in the Clearinghouse
Docket
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4406027/united-states-v-suntrust-mortgage-inc/
Last updated Nov. 4, 2026, 5:07 a.m.
Docket for: United States v. SunTrust Mortgage, Inc.
Case Details
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Fair Housing/Lending/Insurance
Special Collection(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: May 31, 2012
Closing Date: 2016
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
African-American and Hispanic borrowers who obtained loans between 2005 and 2009 through SunTrust Mortgage’s regional retail offices and national network of mortgage brokers.
Plaintiff Type(s):
U.S. Dept of Justice plaintiff
Attorney Organizations:
U.S. Dept. of Justice Civil Rights Division
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Private Entity/Person
SunTrust Mortgage
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), 15 U.S.C. § 1691
Fair Housing Act/Fair Housing Amendments Act (FHAA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 3601 et seq.
Other Dockets:
Eastern District of Virginia 3:12-cv-00397
Available Documents:
Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff OR Mixed
Relief Granted:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree
Content of Injunction:
Develop anti-discrimination policy
Implement complaint/dispute resolution process
Amount Defendant Pays: $21 million
Order Duration: 2012 - 2016
Issues
General/Misc.:
Discrimination Area:
Discrimination Basis:
Affected National Origin/Ethnicity(s):
Affected Race(s):
Case Summary of United States of America v. Suntrust Mortgage, Inc., Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/12250/ (last updated 3/21/2019).