Robocalls and Automated Telephone Dialing Systems

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) prohibits certain robocalls. Specifically, it prohibits calls to cellular telephones using an "automatic telephone dialing system" or autodialers, meaning "equipment which has the capacity (A) to store or produce telephone numbers to be called, using a random or sequential number generator; and (B) to dial such numbers." 47 U.S.C. § 227(a)(1), (b)(1)(A). In 2021, the Supreme Court interpreted this provision restrictively, meaning that many autodialers no longer legally qualified as automatic telephone dialing systems. However, the TCPA's prohibitions on calls with automated voices or telemarketing calls to telephone numbers on the Do-Not-Call Registry have different language that has not been restricted.