The Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that a Philadelphia homeowner was not entitled to attorneys’ fees under a PA consumer protection law because filing affirmative defenses doesn’t qualify as filing an “action” under the law. In Bayview Loan Servicing LLC v. Rodger Lindsay, 15 EAP 2017, in response to a foreclosure complaint, a borrower alleged that the lender violated PA’s Loan Interest and Protection Law, also known as Act 6. The lender subsequently withdrew the complaint. The borrower sought a reimbursement of his legal fees. The Court rejected that request holding that “An affirmative defense is not an action, but rather is the statement of new facts and arguments that, if true, will defeat a plaintiff’s action.”
