Household Credit Services v. Pfenning

Pfenning (plaintiff) held a Household Credit Services (defendant) credit card with a $2,000 limit but was allowed to exceed it subject to a $29 monthly over-limit fee, which Household added to her bill without listing it as a finance charge; Pfenning sued, alleging this omission misrepresented the true cost of credit in violation of the Truth in Lending Act (TILA). Household argued Federal Reserve Board Regulation Z specifically excluded over-limit fees from the finance-charge definition, and the district court agreed and dismissed the suit, but the court of appeals reversed, prompting Supreme Court review.