Montana’s Robocall Prohibition Law Upheld In Court

For many people getting through dinner without the phone ringing is a rarity. Telemarketers, political messages, surveys, and robocalls all seem to come at the most inopportune times.

Letting the phone ring is as much of an imposition as taking the call. Your life is interrupted by outside forces.

Yes, we have phones, mainly to reach friends and family and for emergencies. Not to be sold Ginzu knives, back braces or aluminum siding.

Montana got fed up with these personal intrusions and passed a law prohibiting robocalls.

Freedom Of Speech?

Wait a minute. I thought the Second Amendment gave us the right of free expression and wouldn’t that include phone speech?

It seems that the US Supreme Court has ruled, more than once, that you’re not required to welcome unwanted speech to your dinner table.

Montana US District Judge Charles Lovell, 88, a Reagan appointee, did not buy the argument of Dave Deshaw, of Victory Processing LLC, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, to ruin the dinner hour of Montana residents to convey political messages just to make a buck.

Your Phone May Still Ring

However, there are some outs for the dreaded robocallers.

Robocallers are OK as long as a live person gets your OK to hear all about the best darn free back brace that Medicare can buy.

Or, if you’ve previously had some kind of prior business relationship with the calling company, then they can continue to call you.

Some Final Thoughts

The Do-Not-Call Registry doesn’t apply to political messages or charitable fund raising but you might want to put your numbers on it anyway.

It will stop some calls and you can report unwanted calls online as well.

I personally use a free web site called Nomorobo. It doesn’t stop doctor’s calls or friends and family but does stop about 85 percent or more of unwanted calls.

I’ve had it for a few months and have no complaints with it. The phone still rings but it rings only once.

Then you have the great satisfaction of knowing you stiffed them and you do your happy dance.

Good for Montana to put an end to this invasive practice. Now I can have my dinner in peace. Someone pass the potatoes. Comments below