Walmart Check Policy Settlement -- No Cash Payout, But Walmart Must Change Check Disclosures at Every U.S. Store
By Steve Levine
Published: March 28, 2026
Cash Payout: None -- injunctive relief only
Claim Form: None -- no action required
Opt-Out: Not available -- mandatory class
If you wrote a check at Walmart and ended up with multiple bank fees because your check bounced and Walmart's processor kept trying to collect, this settlement is about what happened to you -- but it will not put money in your pocket. This is a disclosure-change settlement, not a cash settlement. Here is what it actually does and why it still matters.
What Is This Settlement About?
When you pay by check at Walmart, the store's check processor (TeleCheck) handles the transaction. If your check bounces, TeleCheck may make multiple attempts to collect both the original check amount and a return fee from your bank account. Each of those collection attempts can trigger a separate bank fee from your bank -- meaning a single bounced check could result in multiple bank charges you did not expect.The lawsuit alleged that Walmart's posted check policy and PIN pad disclosures did not adequately warn customers that multiple collection attempts could result in multiple bank fees. Customers were surprised when a single bounced check triggered a cascade of charges.
Walmart and TeleCheck denied the allegations but agreed to settle to avoid the cost and uncertainty of continued litigation. The case went through years of discovery, two rounds of summary judgment, and two mediations before the parties reached this agreement.
There Is No Cash Payout and No Claim Form
This needs to be stated clearly: there is no cash payout for class members. There is no claim form. There is nothing to file. The entire $1,850,000 settlement fund goes to attorney fees and a service award for the named plaintiff, Brandy Morris. No portion of the fund is distributed to class members.If you are looking for a Walmart settlement that pays cash, this is not it.
What Does This Settlement Actually Do?
Walmart must change the language of its posted check policy and PIN pad disclosures at every Walmart store in the United States. The new disclosures will clearly state that if a check is returned unpaid, Walmart and TeleCheck may make multiple attempts to collect both the check amount and any return fees, and that each attempt could result in separate bank fees from the customer's bank.These changes must be implemented at every Walmart location within 180 days after the settlement becomes final. The injunctive relief has a five-year sunset provision, meaning the disclosure requirements expire after five years (or sooner if regulations change).
You Cannot Opt Out
This is a mandatory class under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(b)(2). There is no opt-out option. Every person who has written or will write a check at any Walmart store in the United States is automatically part of the class.The reason there is no opt-out is that the settlement only provides injunctive relief (changed disclosures) -- it does not require class members to give up their individual claims for monetary damages.
Your Right to Sue for Damages Is Preserved
This is the most important part of this settlement for consumers who were actually harmed. The settlement only releases claims for injunctive relief under Rule 23(b)(2). Class members have explicitly preserved their right to pursue individual damages claims or future class action damages claims under Rule 23(b)(3) against Walmart and TeleCheck for monetary losses caused by the check processing practices.In other words, if you incurred multiple bank fees because of Walmart and TeleCheck's collection practices, you can still sue them for money. This settlement does not prevent that.
Important Dates
Objection Deadline: April 23, 2026
Motion for Final Approval: April 23, 2026
Response to Objections: May 8, 2026
Fairness Hearing: July 27, 2026 at 1:30 PM, Paul G. Hatfield Federal Courthouse, 901 Front Street, Helena, MT 59626 (changed by Court's March 30, 2026 order)
Case Information
Case: Morris v. Walmart, Inc., No. 1:22-cv-00016-SPW-TJC
Court: U.S. District Court, District of Montana
Filed: December 2, 2021 (state court); removed to federal court February 23, 2022
Plaintiff: Brandy Morris
Defendants: Walmart, Inc. and TeleCheck Services, LLC
Allegation: Check processing disclosures did not warn about multiple bank fees from bounced checks
Settlement Type: Injunctive relief only (Rule 23(b)(2) mandatory class)
Cash Payout: None -- no payments to class members
Claim Form: None -- not applicable
Opt-Out: Not available -- mandatory class
What Changes: Walmart must update check policy and PIN pad disclosures at every U.S. store within 180 days
Damages Rights: Preserved -- class members can still sue for monetary damages under Rule 23(b)(3)
Attorney Fees: Up to $1,850,000 (less named plaintiff's service award)
Objection Deadline: April 23, 2026
Fairness Hearing: July 27, 2026 at 1:30 PM (Helena, MT)
Class Counsel: KalielGold PLLC and Hausfeld LLP
Settlement Website: Check Policy Settlement
How Do I Find Class Action Settlements?
Find all the latest class actions you can qualify for by getting notified of new lawsuits as soon as they are open to claims:Settlement Agreement (PDF)
Sources
• Settlement Agreement, Morris v. Walmart, Inc., No. 1:22-cv-00016-SPW-TJC (D. Mont.)• Official Settlement Website -- CheckPolicySettlement.com
Filing Class Action Settlement Claims
There is no claim form for this settlement because there is no cash payout to class members. This settlement provides injunctive relief only (changed disclosures at Walmart stores). Your right to sue Walmart and TeleCheck for individual monetary damages is preserved. OpenClassActions.com is a consumer advocacy and class action news site, and is not a class action administrator or a law firm.
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Pre-Qualify| Walmart Check Policy Settlement Summary | |
| Status | Pending Final Approval |
|---|---|
| Cash Payout | None — injunctive relief only |
| Claim Form | None — not applicable |
| Opt-Out | Not available — mandatory class |
| What Changes | Check disclosures at every U.S. Walmart within 180 days |
| Damages Rights | Preserved — can still sue for money |
| Objection Deadline | April 23, 2026 |
| Fairness Hearing | July 27, 2026 at 1:30 PM (Helena, MT) |
| Website | Check Policy Settlement |