PUBLISHED

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT

No. 21-1697

JERRY DAVIDSON, individually and on behalf of others similarly situated,

Plaintiff - Appellant,

v.

UNITED AUTO CREDIT CORPORATION, a California corporation,

Defendants - Appellee.

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Amicus Supporting Appellant.

REP. ANDY BARR, (R-KY, 6th Dist.); SENATOR NORM COLEMAN, (R-MN, 2003-2009); REP. BARRY LOUDERMILK, (R-GA, 11th Dist.); REP. JEFF MILLER, (R-FL, 1st Dist., 2001-2017); REP. PETE SESSIONS, (R-TX, 17th Dist.); REP. WILLIAM TIMMONS, (R-SC, 4th Dist.); REP. JOE WILSON, (R- SC, 2nd Dist.); AMERICAN FINANCIAL SERVICES ASSOCIATION; CONSUMER BANKERS ASSOCIATION; GUARANTEED ASSET PROTECTION ALLIANCE; NATIONAL AUTOMOBILE DEALERS ASSOCIATION; CONSUMER CREDIT INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION; CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Amici Supporting Appellee.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, at Alexandria. Leonie M. Brinkema, District Judge. (1:20–cv–01263–LMB–JFA)

Argued: October 26, 2022 Decided: April 12, 2023 USCA4 Appeal: 21-1697 Doc: 78 Filed: 04/12/2023 Pg: 2 of 32

Before WILKINSON, THACKER, and RICHARDSON, Circuit Judges.

Affirmed by published opinion. Judge Richardson wrote the opinion, in which Judge Thacker joined. Judge Wilkinson wrote an opinion dissenting.

ARGUED: Jennifer D. Bennett, GUPTA WESSLER PLLC, San Francisco, California, for Appellant. Stacy Delayne Blank, HOLLAND & KNIGHT LLP, Tampa, Florida, for Appellee. Anna O’Neil Mohan, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, Washington, D.C., for Amicus United States of America. ON BRIEF: Janet R. Varnell, Brian Warwick, VARNELL & WARWICK, P.A., Tampa, Florida; Leonard Anthony Bennett, CONSUMER LITIGATION ASSOCIATES, P.C., Newport News, Virginia; Jessica Garland, San Francisco, California, Deepak Gupta, GUPTA WESSLER PLLC, Washington, D.C.; Kristi Cahoon Kelly, KELLY GUZZO PLC, Fairfax, Virginia; Tina Wolfson, Christopher Eric Stiner, AHDOOT & WOLFSON P.C., Burbank, California, for Appellant. Travis A. Sabalewski, Tysons, Virginia, Raymond Y. Kim, HOLLAND & KNIGHT LLP, Los Angeles, California, for Appellee. Brian M. Boynton, Acting Assistant Attorney General, H. Thomas Byron, III, Dennis Fan, Civil Division, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, Washington, D.C.; Carolina D. Krass, General Counsel, Paul S. Koffsky, Acting Principal Deputy General Counsel, Rita P. Davis, Deputy General Counsel, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, Washington, D.C.; Jessica D. Aber, United States Attorney, OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, Richmond, Virginia; Seth Frotman, Acting General Counsel, Steven Y. Bressler, Acting Deputy General Counsel, Laura Hussain, Assistant General Counsel, Ryan Cooper, CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU, Washington, D.C., for Amicus United States. Marci B. Kawski, Madison, Wisconsin, Lisa M. Lawless, HUSCH BLACKWELL LLP, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for Amici The American Financial Services Association, Consumer Bankers Association, Guaranteed Asset Protection Alliance, National Automobile Dealers Association, Consumer Credit Industry Association, and Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America. John C.