1. a. Did the court of appeals find that Park West Bank had violated the ECOA? Explain.
b. If at trial, the facts reveal that the bank employee thought Rosa was gay and demanded that he change clothes for that reason, who will win this case? Explain.
c. According to the court of appeals, how did the lower court misunderstand this case?
2. a. Does federal law protect bank customers based on their style of dress? Explain.
b. Should it offer that protection? Explain.
On July 21, 1998, Lucas Rosa came to the Park West Bank to apply for a loan. A biological male, he was dressed in traditionally feminine attire. He requested a loan application from Norma Brunelle, a bank employee. Brunelle asked Rosa for identification. Rosa produced three forms of photo identification: (1) a Massachusetts Department of Public Welfare Card; (2) a Massachusetts Identification Card; and (3) a Money Stop Check Cashing ID Card. Brunelle looked at the identification cards and told Rosa that she would not provide him with a loan application until he “went home and changed.” She said that he had to be dressed like one of the identification cards in which he appeared in more traditionally male attire before she would pro-vide him with a loan application and process his loan request.