TCPA Compliance Intelligence

Are Texts “Calls”? - State & Circuit TCPA §227(c) Case Ruling Tracker

Tracks federal court rulings on whether SMS text messages qualify as “telephone calls” under the TCPA’s Do-Not-Call private right of action, §227(c)(5). Click any state to see its rulings, then explore the circuit detail below. For informational purposes only - not legal advice.

Texts are NOT calls

Texts ARE calls

Split - decisions both ways

No court decision yet

Status by State

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Circuit-by-Circuit Detail

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Updated September 17, 2026
This tracker is compiled and maintained by Gryphon.
Sources: Primary court opinions via PACER / Westlaw / Lexis. Key authorities: Steidinger v. Blackstone Medical Services, No. 25-2398, 2026 WL 2028517 (7th Cir. July 14, 2026) - full opinion at ca7.uscourts.gov; Howard v. Republican Nat’l Comm., 164 F.4th 1119 (9th Cir. 2026); Owen-Brooks v. Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate, LLC, No. 25-15801, 2026 WL 2455150 (D.N.J. Aug. 21, 2026); Card v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Holdings, Inc., No. 26-CV-00433, 2026 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 201636 (M.D.N.C. Sept. 3, 2026); Mey v. Liberty Home Guard, LLC, No. 23-CV-281, 2026 WL 486556 (N.D. W. Va. Jan. 5, 2026); Conrad v. Hart Consumer Products, 2026 WL 2741623 (N.D. Ala. Sept. 16, 2026). Additional opinions via CourtListener and PACER. Statute: 47 U.S.C. §227(c)(5) via Cornell LII. Published by Gryphon.