Mainly California residents who got a certain first collection letter from Midland about a charged off Capital One debt. About 36,635 people are in the class.
A $318,000 class settlement in Leedeman v. Midland Credit Management. The suit says Midland's first letter hid the true name of the debt buyer and used type smaller than 12 point. Midland denies wrongdoing.
No claim form is needed to take part. Class members share the fund pro rata, and the notice says you can choose how to be paid on the settlement website.
The claim, opt out and objection deadlines were April 24, 2026 and have passed. Payments come after final court approval, which the site does not yet confirm.
Do not ignore the court papers. Answer by the deadline on the summons, ask for proof of the debt, and talk to a consumer lawyer.
Midland Credit Management is one of the largest debt buyers in the country. It buys old debts and collects on them, and it has faced class actions, a federal enforcement case and many individual suits. This page explains the current class settlement, what regulators did, your rights under federal law and what to do if Midland contacts or sues you.
The settlement case is Leedeman v. Midland Credit Management, Inc., No. 19CV354554, in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. Midland denies any wrongdoing. This page is general information and not legal advice.
Deadline status
The claim, objection and opt out deadline was April 24, 2026 and has passed. Class members who did nothing stay in the settlement and may receive a share. The official settlement website does not yet show a final approval or a payment date, so check it for updates. See our guide on class action settlements with no proof of purchase for how class payouts usually work.
California has a law called the Fair Debt Buying Practices Act. It requires a debt buyer’s first written letter to give the true name of the debt buyer and to be printed in at least 12 point type. The lawsuit says Midland’s first letter about a charged off Capital One debt failed on both points. Midland denies it broke any law and settled to avoid the cost and risk of more litigation.
The court certified a class of people with California addresses who were sent the specific letter described in the complaint. The letter had to be about a charged off consumer debt originally owed to Capital One Bank (USA), N.A., sold to Midland on or after January 1, 2014, and not returned as undeliverable. About 36,635 people are in the class, and Midland’s records decide who is included.
Midland created a $318,000 class recovery. Class members share it equally, which is called a pro rata share, so the amount depends on how many people take part. Class lawyers may ask for up to $260,000 in fees and expenses and the class representative may ask for up to $6,000, but the notice says both are separate from the $318,000, subject to court approval. With 36,635 people in the class, a simple split would be a small amount per person, so expect a modest check.
Not sure you are in the class?
Look for a notice with your CPT ID and passcode. Call the administrator, CPT Group, at 1-888-545-0137 or email MCMSettlement@cptgroup.com. Never pay anyone to claim for you.
Midland and related companies have faced several class actions in different states. Statuses change, so use the official sites. These are the recent ones I found:
| Case | Where | Status reported |
|---|---|---|
| Leedeman v. Midland Credit Management | California | $318,000 settlement. Deadlines passed April 24, 2026 |
| Schultz v. Midland Credit Management | New Jersey | Case site says a May 8, 2026 order dismissed the class action and no money is available |
| VanderKodde v. Mary Jane M. Elliott PC | Michigan | Settlement with judgment reductions. Claim and opt out deadline was March 9, 2026 |
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau sued Midland’s parent company Encore Capital Group and its subsidiaries in 2020, saying they violated a 2015 consent order and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The case ended in a stipulated final judgment on October 16, 2020, with a $15 million civil penalty, $79,308.81 in consumer redress and new conduct rules. A consent judgment is not a finding that the company broke the law in every instance, and the company can dispute the claims.
Never ignore a court summons. If you do not respond by the deadline, the court can enter a default judgment, which can lead to wage or bank account garnishment. Deadlines are short and differ by state.
You may if a collector broke the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, for example by threatening action it cannot take or using false statements. Under 15 U.S.C. 1692k, a court can award actual damages, up to $1,000 in additional damages in an individual case, and attorney fees. You must usually sue within one year of the violation. Our guide on how to sue a company explains the basics, and our Dennis Goyette credit reporting lawsuit page shows how a credit reporting case looks in practice.
This is the court notice from the settlement website. The deadline fields in this copy are blank, so use the dates on this page and the official site.
Case: Leedeman v. Midland Credit Management, Inc.
Case number: 19CV354554
Court: Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara
Administrator: CPT Group, 1-888-545-0137
Class counsel: Consumer Law Center, Inc.
Website: mcmsettlement.com
Yes. It is a $318,000 class settlement in Leedeman v. Midland Credit Management, in California state court. Midland denies wrongdoing.
The $318,000 fund is shared equally among participating class members, so the amount depends on how many take part. With about 36,635 people in the class, expect a modest payment.
No claim form is needed to take part. The notice says class members who do nothing are eligible for a pro rata share, and the site lets you pick how to be paid.
The claim, objection and opt out deadline was April 24, 2026. Because you did not need to file a claim, class members who did nothing may still be paid. Contact the administrator to confirm.
People with California addresses who were sent a specific first letter about a charged off Capital One debt that Midland bought on or after January 1, 2014, and that was not returned as undeliverable.
The CFPB sued Encore Capital and its subsidiaries in 2020. The case ended in an October 16, 2020 final judgment with a $15 million civil penalty and $79,308.81 in redress.
Do not ignore the summons. Respond by the court deadline, dispute and request proof of the debt in writing, check whether the debt is too old to sue on, and speak to a consumer lawyer.
If Midland broke the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act you may sue. A court can award actual damages, up to $1,000 in an individual case and attorney fees, and you generally must sue within one year.
The case site for Schultz v. Midland says a May 8, 2026 order dismissed the class action and that no money is available. Check the site for the latest.
Send a written request telling the collector to stop contacting you. Federal law generally requires it to stop, except to confirm or notify you of specific actions, and the debt does not go away.