trw andrews argued october decided november fair credit reporting act fcra act requires credit reporting agencies inter alia maintain reasonable procedures avoid improper disclosures consumer credit information act limitations provision prescribes action enforce liability created act must brought within two years date liability arises except defendant willfully misrepresented information required act disclosed plaintiff information material claim act action may brought time within two years plaintiff discovery misrepresentation adelaide andrews visited doctor office santa monica california filled form listing name social security number basic information office receptionist named andrea andrews impostor copied data moved las vegas attempted open credit accounts using andrews social security number last name address july september october january trw furnished copies andrews credit report companies impostor sought credit andrews learn disclosures may sought refinance home process received copy credit report reflecting impostor activity sued trw injunctive monetary relief october alleging trw violated act failing verify predisclosure credit report third parties adelaide andrews santa monica initiated credit applications otherwise involved underlying transactions trw moved partial summary judgment arguing inter alia fcra statute limitations expired andrews claims stemming trw first two disclosures occurred two years brought suit andrews countered limitations period claims commence discovered disclosures district held two claims time barred reasoning explicit exception covers misrepresentation claims precludes judicial attribution broader discovery rule fcra ninth circuit reversed applying considered general federal rule statute limitations starts running party knows reason know injured unless congress expressly legislates otherwise held general discovery rule govern section explicitly delineates exceptional case discovery triggers limitation andrews case fall within exceptional category pp even ninth circuit correctly identified general presumption favor discovery rule issue case oblige decide appeals significantly overstated scope force presumption placed undue weight holmberg armbrecht stands proposition equity tolls statute limitations cases fraud concealment establish general presumption across contexts cases recognized prevailing discovery rule moreover decided two contexts latent disease medical malpractice cry rule loudest rotella wood see kubrick urie thompson also observed lower federal courts generally apply discovery rule statute silent issue adopted rule beyond doubt never endorsed ninth circuit view congress convey refusal adopt discovery rule explicit command rather implication particular statute structure text thus even presumption identified ninth circuit exists apply fcra act govern area law cries application discovery rule silent issue statute limitations begins run pp section text structure evince congress intent preclude judicial implication discovery rule congress explicitly enumerates certain exceptions general prohibition additional exceptions implied absence evidence contrary legislative intent andrus glover constr section provides limitation period generally runs date liability arises subject single exception cases involving defendant willful misrepresentation material information distort text convert exception rule see leatherman tarrant county narcotics intelligence coordination unit pp least equally telling reading general discovery rule practical effect render express exception superfluous unusual circumstances paradigmatic setting plaintiff requests credit report reporting agency responds concealing wrongdoing express exception work performed general discovery rule rejects andrews government attempt give independent scope exception characterizing codification doctrine equitable estoppel scenario constructed andrews government support characterization unlikely occur reality event andrews government concede independent function one attribute express exception theory arise rare egregious cases adopting position therefore render express exception insignificant wholly superfluous contrary cardinal principle statutory construction pp andrews two additional arguments defense decision unconvincing first contention discovery rule expressed words framing general rule date liability arises compelled dictionary definition arise unsupported precedent second andrews reliance legislative history fails convince congress intended sub silentio adopt general discovery rule addition limited one expressly provided pp issue raised briefed reach andrews alternative argument even incorporate general discovery rule liability arise fcra violation occurs sometimes later date actual damages materialize notes ninth circuit adopted andrews argument government join advancing event doubtful argument even valid aid andrews case pp reversed remanded ginsburg delivered opinion rehnquist stevens kennedy souter breyer joined scalia filed opinion concurring judgment thomas joined trw petitioner adelaide andrews writ certiorari appeals ninth circuit november justice ginsburg delivered opinion case concerns running statute limitations governing suits based fair credit reporting act fcra act added stat amended et seq ed supp time prescription appears sets general rule exception generally action enforce liability created act may brought within two years date liability arises exception covers willful misrepresentation information required act disclosed plaintiff representation material claim act suit may brought within two years plaintiff discovery misrepresentation section exception involved case complaint allege misrepresentation information fcra require disclosed plaintiff adelaide andrews nevertheless contends ninth circuit held generally applicable limitation commenced run andrews claims upon discovery trw alleged violations act hold discovery rule govern section explicitly delineates exceptional case discovery triggers limitation liberty make congress explicit exception general rule well congress enacted fcra promote efficiency nation banking system protect consumer privacy see relevant act seeks accomplish goals requiring credit reporting agencies maintain reasonable procedures designed assure maximum possible accuracy information contained credit reports limit furnishing reports certain statutorily enumerated purposes ed supp act creates private right action allowing injured consumers recover actual damages caused negligent violations actual punitive damages willful noncompliance see ed facts case part undisputed june adelaide andrews visited radiologist office santa monica california filled new patient form listing certain basic information including name birth date social security number andrews handed form office receptionist one andrea andrews impostor copied information thereafter moved las vegas nevada impostor attempted numerous occasions open credit accounts using andrews social security number last name address four occasions company impostor sought credit requested report trw time trw computers registered match andrews social security number last name first initial therefore responded furnishing file trw thus disclosed andrews credit history impostor request bank july cable television company september department store october another credit provider january recipients cable company rejected impostor applications credit andrews learn disclosures may sought refinance home mortgage process received copy credit report reflecting impostor activity andrews concedes trw promptly corrected file upon learning mistake alleges however blemishes report caused inconvenience emotional distress also forced abandon refinancing efforts settle alternative line credit less favorable terms october almost months discovered impostor fraudulent conduct two years trw first two disclosures andrews filed suit district central district california complaint stated two categories fcra claims trw first relevant see app claims alleged trw four disclosures information response impostor credit applications improper trw failed verify predisclosure adelaide andrews santa monica initiated requests otherwise involved underlying transactions andrews asserted processing requests matched profile social security number last name first initial correspond key identifiers notably birth date address first name trw facilitated impostor identity theft according andrews trw verification failure constituted willful violation requires credit reporting agencies maintain reasonable procedures avoid improper disclosures sought injunctive relief punitive damages compensation expenditure time money commercial impairment inconvenience embarrassment humiliation emotional distress trw allegedly inflicted upon app trw moved partial summary judgment arguing inter alia fcra statute limitations expired andrews claims based july september disclosures occurred two years brought suit andrews countered claims four disclosures timely limitations period commence may date learned trw alleged wrongdoing district agreeing trw incorporate general discovery rule held relief stemming july september disclosures time barred andrews trans union supp cd cal appeals ninth circuit reversed ruling applying considered general federal rule federal statute limitations begins run party knows reason know injured rejected district conclusion text particular limited exception set forth section precluded judicial attribution rule fcra nless congress expressly legislated otherwise ninth circuit declared equitable doctrine discovery read every federal statute limitations internal quotation marks omitted finding express directive appeals held none andrews injuries stale suit brought accordingly reinstated andrews improper disclosure claims remanded trial holding incorporates general discovery rule ninth circuit parted company four circuits courts concluded discovery exception one congress expressed may read act see clark state farm fire casualty ins rylewicz beaton houghton insurance crime prevention institute clay equifax granted certiorari resolve conflict reverse ii appeals rested decision premise federal statutes limitations regardless context incorporate general discovery rule unless congress expressly legislated otherwise extent presumption exists matter case oblige us decide ninth circuit conspicuously overstated scope force appeals principally relied decision holmberg armbrecht see case instructed particularity plaintiff injured fraud remains ignorance without fault want diligence care part bar statute begin run fraud discovered holmberg see kubrick urie thompson also observed lower federal courts generally apply discovery accrual rule statute silent issue rotella citing connors hallmark son coal cadc proposition federal courts generally apply discovery accrual rule statute call different rule adopted position beyond doubt never endorsed ninth circuit view congress convey refusal adopt discovery rule explicit command rather implication structure text particular statute ninth circuit thus erred holding generally applied discovery rule controls case fcra govern area law cries application discovery rule statute silent issue statute limitations begins run section addresses precise question provision reads action enforce liability created act may brought within two years date liability arises except defendant materially willfully misrepresented information required act disclosed individual information misrepresented material establishment defendant liability individual act action may brought time within two years discovery individual misrepresentation conclude text structure evince congress intent preclude judicial implication discovery rule congress explicitly enumerates certain exceptions general prohibition additional exceptions implied absence evidence contrary legislative intent andrus glover constr congress provided fcra statute limitations runs date liability arises subject single exception cases involving defendant willful misrepresentation material information natural reading congress implicitly excluded general discovery rule explicitly including limited one see leatherman tarrant county narcotics intelligence coordination unit expressio unius est exclusio distort text converting exception rule cf brockamp explicit listing exceptions running limitations period considered indicative congress intent preclude courts read ing unmentioned equitable exceptions statute least equally telling incorporating general discovery rule merely supplement explicit exception contrary congress apparent intent practical effect render exception entirely superfluous unusual circumstances consumer generally discover tortious conduct alleged improper disclosure credit history potential user requests file credit reporting agency agency responds concealing offending disclosure generally applicable discovery rule misrepresentation exception operate toll statute limitations concealment revealed triggered statute limitations run either two years discovery date paradigmatic setting misrepresentation exception work andrews government appearing amicus support attempt generate role express exception independent filled general discovery rule conceive exception codification doctrine equitable estoppel argue operates discovery rule triggered limitations period preventing defendant benefiting misrepresentation tolling period concealment uncovered illustrate supposed separate application andrews government frame following scenario credit reporting agency injures consumer disclosing file improper purpose consumer reason suspect violation year later applies denied credit result agency wrongdoing point government asserts consumer presumably put inquiry notice violation discovery rule start running normal limitation period brief et al amici curiae emphasis omitted see tr oral arg argument accord andrews counsel days months later consumer follows suspicions requesting copy credit report agency responds concealing initial improper disclosure according andrews government misrepresentation exception operate toll limitations period agency reveals wrongdoing reject argument several reasons initial matter persuaded effort distinguish practical function discovery rule express exception doubt supporting scenario likely occur outside realm theory fatal weakness narrative assumption consumer charged constructive notice improper disclosure upon denial credit application consumer habitually paid bills time denial might well lead suspect prior credit agency error credit denial place inquiry notice discovery rule trigger limitations period point reasonable person position learned injury exercise due diligence see stone williams duty inquiry arisen plaintiff charged whatever knowledge inquiry revealed corman limitation actions obviously unreasonable charge plaintiff failure search missing element cause action element revealed usual circumstance plaintiff gain knowledge injury credit reporting agency scenario put forth andrews government however requires assumption even consumer exercised reasonable diligence requesting credit report without delay fact learn disclosure credit reporting agency conceal uncovering concealment remain triggering event discovery rule express exception scenario paradigmatic one misrepresentation exception superfluous event andrews government concede independent function one attribute express exception arise rare egregious case brief respondent see brief et al amici curiae implied discovery rule apply vast majority cases result rule nowhere contained text bulk provision work proviso accounting half text lie dormant unlikely situations cardinal principle statutory construction statute upon whole construed prevented clause sentence word shall superfluous void insignificant duncan walker slip internal quotation marks omitted see menasche duty give effect possible every clause word statute quoting montclair ramsdell ere adopt andrews construction statute express exception rendered insignificant wholly superfluous duncan slip reluctant treat statutory terms surplusage setting slip internal alteration quotation marks omitted decline andrews advances two additional arguments defense decision neither find convincing contends first words date liability arises phrase congress used frame general rule literally expres discovery rule liability arise present comes attention potential plaintiff brief respondent dictionary definition word arise compel reading contrary used support either party position see webster third new international dictionary arise defined come come become apparent way demand attention black law dictionary rev ed come notice trw offers strong argument fact construed word imply result andrews seeks avoid see brief petitioner citing inter alia mcmahon statute limitations triggered date cause action arises incorporates rule balance conclude phrase liability arises particularly instructive much less dispositive case similarly unhelpful view andrews reliance legislative history observes early versions provision introduced house senate keyed start limitations period date occurrence violation disappearance language final version andrews infers congressional intent reject rule deleted words plainly established trw notes however congress also heard testimony urging enact statute limitations runs date violation discovered declined hearings subcommittee consumer affairs house committee banking currency addition change language andrews relies read refute position misrepresentation exception added time congress changed language date occurrence violation liability arises compare doubt congress inserted carefully worded exception main rule intended simultaneously create general discovery rule render exception superfluous sum evidence early incarnations like liability arises language congress ultimately settled fails convince us congress intended sub silentio adopt general discovery rule addition limited one expressly provided iii andrews first time presents alternative argument based liability arises language brief respondent contends even incorporate discovery rule liability fcra necessarily arise violation act occurs noting fcra substantive provisions tie liability presence actual damages arise means least come existence andrews concludes liability arises actual damages materialize maintains essential elements claim coalesce duty breach causation injury brief respondent see hyde hibernia nat bank requirement consumer sustain injury order establish cause action suggests statute triggered agency issues erroneous report institution consumer accordingly andrews asserts claims timely disputed liability actual damages arise may suffered emotional distress missed opportunities inconvenience cataloged complaint prior time fcra claim bring brief respondent emphasis omitted cf bay area laundry dry cleaning pension trust fund ferbar rejecting construction statute limitations period begin running cause action existed favor standard rule period commence earlier date plaintiff file suit obtain relief reach issue raised briefed see reply brief petitioner note however ninth circuit embraced andrews alternative argument see liability act arises consumer reporting agency fails comply government join advancing doubt argument even valid aid andrews case claims alleged willful violations thus governed time events question provision stated consumer reporting agency willfully fails comply requirement imposed act respect consumer liable consumer amount equal sum actual damages amount punitive damages may allow punitive damages andrews sought case presumably awarded moment trw alleged wrongdoing even actual damages accrue time andrews theory least liability sought enforce arose violations occurred limitations period therefore began run point reasons stated judgment appeals ninth circuit reversed case remanded proceedings consistent opinion ordered trw petitioner adelaide andrews writ certiorari appeals ninth circuit november justice scalia justice thomas joins concurring judgment notes ante appeals based decision called general federal rule federal statute limitations begins run party knows reason know injured declines say whether expression governing general rule correct see ante extent presumption exists matter case oblige us decide view little doubt reluctance say today inexplicable given held mere four years ago statute limitations says period runs date cause action arose ed incorporates standard rule limitations period commences plaintiff complete present cause action bay area laundry dry cleaning pension trust fund ferbar emphasis added internal quotation marks omitted bay area laundry quoted approvingly statement clark iowa city wall statutes limitation begin run right action complete unquestionably traditional rule absent indication statute limitations begins run time plaintiff right apply relief wood limitation actions ed person entitled action knowledge right sue facts right arises postpone period limitation wood supra rule applied appeals bad wine recent vintage recognition historical exception suits based fraud bailey glover wall deviated traditional rule imputed rule congress one occasion urie thompson imagine legislation humane federal employers liability act bar recovery latent medical injuries repeated sentiment rotella wood saying cry discovery rule loudest context suits repeat today assertion present case involve area law cries application discovery rule ante cries however properly directed us congress whose job decide humane legislation put point less tendentiously strike balance remediation injuries policy repose see amy watertown cases statute limitations may suspended causes mentioned statute limited character admitted great caution otherwise make law instead administering congress operating background rule recognized bay area laundry long time wanted us apply different rule rule said see supp see also supp ed apply new background rule previously enacted legislation reverse prior congressional judgments display uncertainty regarding current background rule makes unspecifying new legislation roll dice today opinion clarifying meaning casts meaning innumerable limitation periods doubt nothing statute contradict rule statute limitations begins run cause action complete concur judgment footnotes congress revised fcra extensively since events issue altered provisions material case amendments plaintiff may also recover statutory damages willful violations see supp second alleged trw collected information impostor activities inaccurately attributed activity andrews violation obligation follow reasonable procedures assure maximum possible accuracy information concerning individual report relates jury resolved claim favor trw complaint also stated fcra claims trans union corporation another credit reporting agency involved impostor conduct addition andrews brought claim defendant resolution claims issue district also granted summary judgment trw two remaining improper disclosure claims reasoning trw maintained adequate procedures disputed disclosures made permissible purpose defined see andrews trans union supp ninth circuit reversed ruling questions appeals held needed determination jury judge similarly even agreed discovery equitable estoppel doctrines comfortably coexist setting reject contention therefore free incorporate fcra explained see supra read congress codification one doctrine license imply others rather intentional rejection codify opinion concurring judgment rips bay area laundry dry cleaning pension trust fund ferbar berth see post set record straight question presented bay area laundry whether statute limitations commence run one day right sue ripened later day answered question question unless statute indicates otherwise see bay area laundry continuing beyond place concurrence judgment leaves clarified unless congress told us otherwise legislation issue cause action become complete present limitations purposes plaintiff file suit obtain relief see reiter cooper theoretically possible statute create cause action accrues one time purpose calculating statute limitations begins run another time purpose bringing suit infer odd result absence indication footnotes analysis asserts ante ri bay area laundry berth question presented certiorari granted case recharacterizes generalized inquiry whether statute limitations commence run one day right sue ripened later day rather set forth somewhat abbreviated form petitioner bay area laundry merits brief much precise question statute limitations begin run action multiemployer pension plan amendments act et collect overdue employer withdrawal liability payments brief petitioner framing question respondent ferbar corporation merits brief virtually identical bay area laundry opinion introduced discussion merits follows ninth circuit decision conflicts earlier decision district columbia circuit held statute limitations runs date employer misses scheduled payment date complete withdrawal third seventh circuits also held statute limitations runs failure make payment granted certiorari resolve conflicts assertion answer question presented resolve conflicts held ninth circuit wrong say limitations period commenced right action circuits right say period commenced upon failure make payment erroneous implausible bay area laundry held cause action arose employer violated obligation owed plan standard rule period begins run plaintiff complete present cause action internal quotation marks omitted accurately notes ante one case simply observed without endorsement several courts appeals substituted traditional rule actions federal tort claims act see kubrick two cases observed without endorsement lower federal courts generally apply rule see rotella wood klehr smith action may brought subsection unless action begun within years date act complained date discovery damage action shall maintained enforce liability created section title unless brought within one year discovery untrue statement omission discovery made exercise reasonable diligence action enforce liability created section title unless brought within one year violation upon based claim may presented section unless claim presented within years date discovery loss connection release question