IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR
THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF MISSISSIPPI
JACKSON DIVISION
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff
v.
DEPOSIT GUARANTY NATIONAL
BANK, a division of First
American National Bank,
Defendant
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COMPLAINT
The United States of America alleges:
1. The United States brings this action to enforce Title VIII of the
Civil Rights Act of 1968 ("Fair Housing Act"), as amended by the Fair
Housing Amendments Act of 1988, 42 U.S.C. §§ 3601-3619, and the Equal
Credit Opportunity Act ("ECOA"), 15 U.S.C. §§ 1691-1691f.
2. This Court has jurisdiction of this action pursuant to 28 U.S.C.
1345, 42 U.S.C. § 3614, and 15 U.S.C. § 1691(h), and venue is
appropriate pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1391(c).
3. Defendant, Deposit Guaranty National Bank ("DGNB"), operated as a
bank in Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas since 1925, was
incorporated under the laws of Mississippi and had its principal place
of business in Jackson, Mississippi until being acquired by First
American Corporation ("FAC") on May 1, 1998. As a result of its
acquisition, DGNB is now wholly owned by FAC, a bank holding company
headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. On September 1, 1998, First
American National Bank ("FANB"), a bank subsidiary of FAC, merged with
DGNB. In the geographic areas that were served by DGNB prior to its
acquisition and merger, specifically including Mississippi, Louisiana
and Arkansas, FANB has continued to do business under the name DGNB.
4. As National Banks, DGNB and FANB were and are subject to the
regulatory supervision of the Office of the Comptroller of the
Currency of the Department of the Treasury ("OCC").
5. From at least January 1, 1995 through at least April 30, 1998,
DGNB's business regularly included the making of home improvement
loans that were either unsecured or secured by the borrower's
SNIPPETS:
THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF MISSISSIPPI
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
BANK, a division of First American National Bank, Defendant
The United States brings this action to enforce Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968
This Court has jurisdiction of this action pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1345, 42 U.S.C. § 3614,
As a result of its acquisition, DGNB is now wholly owned by FAC, a bank holding company
In the geographic areas that were served by DGNB prior to its acquisition and merger,
From at least January 1, 1995 through at least April 30, 1998, DGNB's business regularly
DGNB solicited and received applications for credit in the form of home improvement loans,
The persons submitting such credit applications are applicants as that term is defined by
Information supplied by DGNB and made public through the HMDA shows that from January 1995
the OCC began an examination of the lending practices of DGNB to evaluate its compliance with
Based on information gathered in its examination, the OCC determined that it had reason to
DGNB processed some applications, including approximately one-third of the home improvement
DGNB loan officers had broad discretion to make override decisions, known as judgmental
As a consequence of the defendant's discriminatory practices, African-American applicants for
DGNB's policies and practices, as described above, constitute:
JANET RENO ATTORNEY GENERAL
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