News
Summary of the Democrats’ Staff Report on the Federal Election Commission at 50 “The Deregulators Are Winning”
In May of 2025, The Hon. Joseph D. Morelle (NY-25), ranking member of the Committee on House Administration, issued a staff report (“the Report”) of the Federal Election Commission in its 50th year. At a presentation hosted by Common Cause on May 15, 2025, Rep. Morelle and others began with a blunt assessment of the…
Update on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Impacts Of the Current Administration
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) was created directly in response to the 2008 financial crisis, which exposed the predatory lending and weak regulation that harmed millions of American consumers. The CFPB was established by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (2010).
CFPB Takes Step Towards Creating Database of Corporate Crime
Citizen Works has long advocated for a corporate crime database as part of our ongoing efforts to reduce corporate abuse and ensure transparency for consumers. On June 3rd, 2024, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule that takes a step towards that goal. The new rule creates a publicly available registry that tracks enforcement…
Automakers Reckless Use of Drivers’ Data Comes Under Spotlight
As cars become more technologically complex, they are increasingly able to gather information on drivers and their habits. Some metrics are what drivers are used to and often appreciate—such as fuel efficiency. But newer vehicles can also collect detailed data on how drivers behave—such as instances of rapid acceleration and braking or even location data.…
Amtrak’s Anti-Consumer Forced Arbitration Clause Persist Despite Efforts of Public Citizen, Congress
Despite repeated efforts, Amtrak continues to require passengers to agree to an arbitration process to resolve claims against the rail service. Amtrak added the Arbitration Agreement to the terms and conditions of its passenger tickets in 2019. The terms of the agreement state that it is “intended to be as broad as legally permissible, and,…
Adobe Faces Backlash For Changing its Terms of Service
Adobe, the corporation that makes widely used creative software like Photoshop, unveiled earlier this year an update to the fine print of its Terms of Service that angered many creators who rely on their platform. The added language was vague and expansive but appeared to indicate that Adobe had granted itself permission to access any…
Supreme Court Rules Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Can Be Fired by President
In June 2020, the Supreme Court released its opinion in the case of Seila Law vs. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which questioned whether the leadership structure of the CFPB was constitutional. In a 5-4 decision along ideological lines, the Court—in an opinion authored by Chief Justice Roberts—ruled that the restrictions placed on the President’s…
Supreme Court Rules CFPB Funding Structure is Constitutional
On May 16, 2024, the Supreme Court released its decision in Consumer Financial Protection Bureau vs. Community Financial Services Association of America, a case that questioned the constitutionality of the funding structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). In a 7-2 decision, the Court—in an opinion authored by Justice Clarence Thomas—roundly rejected CFSAA’s arguments…
Resources for the COVID-19 Response
In the wake of the outbreak of COVID-19, the Federal Government passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), a massive stimulus package, along with three other stimulus bills. Because of the speed at which these laws were passed, many of the details surrounding implementation require additional guidance from agencies. Here are…
Citizen Works Archives
Our April 4, 2014 Event at Georgetown Law
Our December 11, 2013 Event with Author John Wasik
Our December 19, 2012 Event with Author/Law Professor Margaret Jane Radin
Press and Event Highlights
- Lauren E. Willis and Theresa Amato, "What your bank owes you: clarity," The Los Angeles Times, January 13, 2015.
- Jeanine Skowronski, "The Hidden Risks in Your Credit Card's Fine Print," The Fiscal Times, October 30, 2014.
- Ralph Nader, Corporate Destruction of Free Markets Rules Us, The Nader Page, October 30, 2014.
- Joe Sharkey, "The Value of Unused Tickets? Airlines Won't Say," NYT, April 22, 2014.
- Bob Sullivan, Say It Ain't So, Cheerios!, Coupon Fine Print Now Means You Surrender Your Rights, April 17, 2014.
- The Strip Mining of Legal Rights, Ralph Nader & Theresa Amato, Trial magazine, April 2014.
- How Boilerplate Contracts Strip Our Rights, Theresa Amato, The Nation, January 27, 2014.
- Wrap Contracts, the Online Scourge, Nancy S. Kim, Oxford University Press Blog, December 17, 2013.
- Consumer Law & Policy Blog, Theresa Amato: Wrap Contracts Are Like Asbestos, November 22, 2013.
- Wrap Contracts Symposium, Part VII: Theresa Amato, Contracts Law Prof Blog, November 22, 2013.
- "Those Wordy Contracts We All So Quickly Accept," Alina Tugend, the New York Times, July 12, 2013.
- Boilerplate Symposium II: Theresa Amato on Remedies to the Problems Posed by Boilerplate, Contracts Law Prof Blog, May 14, 2013.
- Small Print, Big Problem (Part I: Diagnosis and Part II: Remedies) by Rick Perlstein, The Nation, from the March 14, 2013 issue.
- "Corporate Kangaroo Courts Supplant Our Seventh Amendment Rights" by Jim Hightower, Creators.com, March 2013.
- "Corporate kangaroo courts have quietly usurped our constitutional right to trial by judge and jury," by Jim Hightower, Hightower Lowdown, March 2013,, Volume 14, No. 3.
- Senator wants plain language placed in consumer contracts, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, May 7, 2012
- Control the Corporation Conference Videos, Nader, Amato, April 2, 2012
- Occupy DC Set to 'Control the Corporation' after 80 occupiers arrested, examiner.com, March 22, 2012
- If you're about to lose your home, maybe it's just time to occupy it, Nader & Amato, Chicago Tribune, February 2, 2012
- Hidden Traps, Fair Contracts, and Consumer Choice, co-sponsored with Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Institute for Consumer Antitrust Studies, January 27, 2012
- Wicked Smart and On Her Way Out, Amato, The Washington Post, July 18, 2011
- America, down but not out: A Nation of Fighters Responds, Bob Sullivan, MSNBC.com, Red Tape Chronicles, Amato profile, July 07, 2011
- What Can Be Done to Make the Fine Print in Standard Form Contracts Fair for Consumers, at ITT-Chicago Kent Law School, Friday, June 24, 2011
- Letters, Work for New Lawyers, Amato, The New York Times, January 22, 2011