Karen L. Jerman, Petitioner, v. Carlisle, McNellie, Rini, Kramer & Ulrich, LPA and Adrienne S. Foster, Respondents; Supreme Court of the United States, No. 08-1200.

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, a debt collector may avoid liability by showing beyond a preponderance of the evidence that its violation of the Act “was not intentional and resulted from a bona fide error notwithstanding the maintenance of procedures reasonably adapted to avoid any such error.” 5 U.S.C. § 1692k(c). Does this defense extend to a debt collector’signorance of the law?