Opinion ID: 760362
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: District court's award of statutory damages

Text: 33 CCI also argues that the district court erred in awarding Savino statutory damages in the amount of $500.00. The decision whether to award statutory damages under the FDCPA and the size of the award are matters committed to the sound discretion of the district court. Clomon v. Jackson, 988 F.2d at 1322. All that is required for an award of statutory damages is proof that the statute was violated, although a court must then exercise its discretion to determine how much to award, up to the $1,000.00 ceiling. Bartlett v. Heibl, 128 F.3d 497, 499 (7th Cir.1997) (where plaintiff seeks statutory damages and not actual damages, penalty does not depend on proof that the recipient of the letter was misled). The district court must consider the frequency and persistence of noncompliance by the debt collector, the nature of such noncompliance, the extent to which such noncompliance was intentional, and other relevant factors in deciding the amount of any 'additional damages' awarded. See 15 U.S.C. § 1692k(b)(1); Clomon, 988 F.2d at 1322. In concluding that Savino was entitled to an award of $500.00, the district court noted its conclusion that the August 14 letter violated the FDCPA but also found that the notice was not threatening or abusive in tone. Savino, 990 F.Supp. at 166. In addition, the court found that there was no evidence that CCI's noncompliance was intentional. Id. Because the district court's stated reasons for its award of statutory damages comport with Clomon, the court did not abuse its discretion in its award to Savino.