Case: United States v. Decatur Federal Savings & Loan Association

1:92-cv-02198 | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia

Filed Date: Sept. 17, 1992

Closed Date: March 3, 1999

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

The Department of Justice filed both its complaint and consent decree against the Defendant-lender in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia on March 17, 1992. The DOJ alleged that Decatur Federal S&L had violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA), 42 U.S.C. 3601-3619, and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, 15 U.S.C. 1691(a)(1), by intentionally avoiding non-white neighborhoods in Atlanta when expanding its business in the years since fair housing and lending statutes were enacted…

The Department of Justice filed both its complaint and consent decree against the Defendant-lender in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia on March 17, 1992. The DOJ alleged that Decatur Federal S&L had violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA), 42 U.S.C. 3601-3619, and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, 15 U.S.C. 1691(a)(1), by intentionally avoiding non-white neighborhoods in Atlanta when expanding its business in the years since fair housing and lending statutes were enacted. In support of its contention, the DOJ alleged in its Complaint that the Defendant did not operate any branch offices in predominantly minority areas in the Atlanta area, did not advertise in minority community media, and almost exclusively hired white employees to market loans to prospective customers.

Under the consent decree entered into by the parties, Decatur Federal agreed to continue and expand its affirmative marketing, advertising, and other mortgage lending outreach programs; to revise the delineation of its lending community under the Community Reinvestment Act; to establish and implement criteria to ensure against any discrimination in its branch activities; to ensure the fair and nondiscriminatory consideration of all mortgage loan applicants; and to continue to monitor its own performance to assure a mortgage lending program free of racial discrimination. Decatur Federal also placed $1,000,000.00 in a Consent Decree Fund to be administered by the United States and distributed to persons whom the United States has identified to as being allegedly aggrieved persons under the Fair Housing Act and Equal Credit Opportunity Act. The consent decree continued until March 3, 1999, when it was dismissed by U.S. District Court Judge Charles A. Moye, Jr.

Summary Authors

Andrew Nash (6/2/2008)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/9524904/parties/united-states-v-decatur-federal-sl/


Judge(s)
Attorney for Plaintiff

Anderson, Curtis Eugene (Georgia)

Barr, William P. (District of Columbia)

Dunne, John R. (District of Columbia)

Griffen, Howard (District of Columbia)

Attorney for Defendant

Alexander, Kent B. (Georgia)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

1:92-cv-02198

Docket

USA v. Decatur Federal S&L

March 3, 1999

March 3, 1999

Docket
1

1:92-cv-02198

Complaint

U.S. v. Decatur Federal Savings and Loan Ass'n

Sept. 17, 1992

Sept. 17, 1992

Complaint

1:92-cv-02198

Consent Decree

U.S. v. Decatur Federal Savings and Loan Association

July 5, 2007

July 5, 2007

Settlement Agreement

Resources

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/9524904/united-states-v-decatur-federal-sl/

Last updated Feb. 3, 2024, 3:03 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT filed summons issued. Consent form to proceed before U.S. magistrate and pretrial instructions given to attorney. (er) (Entered: 09/18/1992)

Sept. 17, 1992

Sept. 17, 1992

Clearinghouse
2

Joint MOTION by USA, Decatur Federal S&L for entry of consent decree with brief in support. (er) Modified on 09/18/1992 (Entered: 09/18/1992)

Sept. 17, 1992

Sept. 17, 1992

PACER
3

ORDER GRANTING joint motion for entry of consent decree by Decatur Federal S&L, USA [2-1] by Judge Charles A. Moye. cc (er) (Entered: 09/22/1992)

Sept. 17, 1992

Sept. 17, 1992

PACER

HEARING HELD before Judge Charles A. Moye Jr. GRANTING consent decree order [3-1]. (er)

Sept. 17, 1992

Sept. 17, 1992

PACER
4

MOTION by defendant to dismiss consent decree with memorandum in support, attachments and proposed order. (jaw) Modified on 01/26/1999 (Entered: 01/26/1999)

Jan. 15, 1999

Jan. 15, 1999

PACER

SUBMITTED to Judge Charles A. Moye Jr. on [4-1] motion to dismiss consent decree (jaw)

Feb. 5, 1999

Feb. 5, 1999

PACER
5

ORDER by Judge Charles A. Moye Jr. GRANTING [4-1] motion to dismiss consent decree entered into on September 17, 1992 between Decatur Federal Savings and Loan Association and the United States, (cc) (jaw) (Entered: 03/09/1999)

March 3, 1999

March 3, 1999

PACER

Case Details

State / Territory: Georgia

Case Type(s):

Fair Housing/Lending/Insurance

Special Collection(s):

Multi-LexSum (in sample)

Key Dates

Filing Date: Sept. 17, 1992

Closing Date: March 3, 1999

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

The USA on behalf of those allegedly discriminated against by Decatur Federal due to discriminatory lending practices on the basis of race via home mortgage marketing that excluded potential black borrowers, as well as other discriminatory practices.

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private 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

Decatur Federal Savings and Loan Association, 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:

Trial Court Docket

Complaint (any)

Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Damages

Source of Relief:

Settlement

Form of Settlement:

Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree

Order Duration: 1992 - 1999

Issues

Discrimination-area:

Lending

Discrimination-basis:

Race discrimination

Race:

Black