Nine state attorneys general, led by New York AG Letitia James, sued the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to stop two rules that preempt state laws requiring banks to pay interest on escrow accounts. The coalition argues the rules exceed OCC's authority under Dodd-Frank and the Administrative Procedure Act. The suit seeks a court order declaring the rules illegal and preventing their implementation.
The coalition seeks a court order declaring the OCC rules unlawful and an injunction preventing their implementation.
In-house legal teams should review mortgage servicing agreements, escrow account management contracts, and any agreements with banks or loan servicers to ensure compliance with state escrow interest laws. Specifically, they should examine clauses governing escrow payments, interest accrual, and any provisions that might attempt to preempt state consumer protection statutes. Additionally, they should assess whether their contracts contain provisions that could be affected by OCC preemption rules and whether opt-out or compliance mechanisms are aligned with existing state requirements.
Entity
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
Industry
Financial ServicesOfficial Press Release
https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2026/attorney-general-james-sues-trump-administration-protect-valuable-interest
oregon et al v office of the comptroller of the currency jon
https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/court-filings/oregon-et-al-v-office-of-the-comptroller-of-the-currency-jonathan-v-gould-complaint-2026.pdf
New York Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://ag.ny.gov/press-releases
"U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC)"
"The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank) has strict limits on OCC’s ability to preempt state consumer protection laws"
"violating the Administrative Procedure Act (APA)"
"seeking a court order declaring the rules illegal and preventing them from being implemented"
Attorney General William Tong and a coalition of 10 attorneys general filed a lawsuit challenging a new OCC rule that preempts state laws requiring national banks to pay interest on homeowners' mortgage escrow accounts. The lawsuit argues the OCC ignored federal court decisions and bypassed safeguards, and seeks to block the rule.
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield co-led a coalition of 10 states in a federal lawsuit against the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to block a rule that invalidates state laws requiring mortgage lenders to pay interest on escrow accounts. The lawsuit argues the OCC's rule oversteps federal authority, gives national banks a competitive advantage over state-chartered banks, and takes money away from homeowners.
New York Attorney General Letitia James joined a coalition lawsuit challenging NHTSA’s rollback of federal fuel economy standards. The coalition alleges that the final rule violates federal law and asks the court to strike it down; the press release describes no privacy violations or monetary penalty.
$400.0M
New York Attorney General Letitia James and a coalition of 47 other attorneys general secured a $400 million settlement with Sandoz Inc. and Fougera Pharmaceuticals Inc. over an alleged scheme to coordinate generic drug prices and reduce competition. The settlement provides for consumer compensation and requires Sandoz to implement antitrust compliance reforms, including annual staff training and a Chief Compliance Officer.
New York Attorney General Letitia James joined eight other attorneys general in issuing a statement criticizing a DOJ judicial misconduct complaint against nearly all federal district court judges in Minnesota. The release concerns judicial independence, not a privacy enforcement action; it announces no penalty or privacy-related remedy.
$5.9M
New York Attorney General Letitia James sued Evolutions Festival LLC and 845 Vibrations LLC over the cancellation of the 2025 festival and their failure to refund ticket holders and vendors. The state alleges violations of laws governing advance ticket-sale funds and seeks restitution, civil penalties of $5,000 for each of 1,185 alleged violations, and an order requiring a $500,000 bond before the organizers can hold future cultural events in New York.