Walmart and TeleCheck $1.85M Check Fees Settlement, What Every Shopper Needs to Know

If you ever wrote a check at Walmart and later got hit with multiple bank fees you didn’t expect, this settlement is about you. Walmart Inc. agreed to settle a class action lawsuit — Morris v. Walmart Inc. — that accused Walmart and its check processor TeleCheck of failing to warn customers that a single bounced check could trigger repeated collection attempts, each generating a separate fee from your own bank. No cash payment goes to class members, but Walmart must rewrite its checkout disclosures nationwide. The fairness hearing is May 13, 2026.

Field	Detail
Settlement Amount	$1,850,000 (attorneys’ fees and plaintiff award only)
Cash to Class Members	$0 — injunctive relief only
Claim Deadline	None required — no claim form needed
Who Qualifies	Anyone who wrote a check at any U.S. Walmart retail store (past or future)
Proof Required	N/A
Settlement Status	Preliminarily approved — fairness hearing May 13, 2026
Official Website	checkpolicysettlement.com
Case Number	1:22-cv-00016-SPW-TJC (D. Mont.)

Where things stand right now:

• The court will hold a Fairness Hearing on May 13, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. at the Missouri River Federal Courthouse in Great Falls, Montana, to decide whether the settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate.
• If you disagree with the settlement, you must submit a written objection by April 23, 2026. There is no opt-out option because class members are not giving up any right to sue for money damages.
• Walmart will implement the required disclosure changes approximately 180 days after the court grants final approval.

How Walmart and TeleCheck Were Charging Shoppers Without Telling Them

When a customer pays by check at Walmart, Walmart’s check processor TeleCheck handles collection electronically. If your bank returns the check unpaid — for something as simple as a timing error or a brief overdraft — TeleCheck could make multiple separate attempts to pull both the original check amount and a returned-check fee from your account.

Plaintiff Brandy Morris alleged that Walmart’s check-processing disclosures did not sufficiently inform shoppers that Walmart and TeleCheck might make multiple attempts to cash bounced checks and, if successful, might also make multiple attempts to recover “return fees” from shoppers’ bank accounts.

The problem: each of those collection attempts could trigger a separate bank fee on your end. Morris contended that she and other class members were damaged when they incurred multiple bank fees as a result of Walmart and TeleCheck repeatedly attempting to collect the underlying check amount and the return fee. Walmart and TeleCheck denied all allegations and do not admit wrongdoing.

Who This Settlement Covers

This settlement is unusually broad — it does not limit coverage to people who actually bounced a check or paid extra fees.

• The class includes “all past and future customers who wrote a check for payment of goods or services at any Walmart retail store in the United States.”
• You may have been affected if you ever paid by check at Walmart and later noticed unexpected fees on your bank statement.
• You do not need to have received a notice letter to be covered.
• Purchases at Sam’s Club or online are not covered — only physical Walmart retail stores.

What You Actually Get From This Settlement

This is not a cash settlement. The settlement administrator will use the $1,850,000 settlement fund exclusively to pay attorneys’ fees and a service award to the named plaintiff. It will not distribute any portion of the settlement fund to class members as compensation.

What class members do get is a changed policy they can rely on going forward. Walmart will update 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 bank returns a check as unpaid, Walmart and its check processor 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.

If you were counting on a check in the mail, this is not that settlement. The value here is transparency — Walmart must now tell you upfront what TeleCheck can do.

Related article: 15M Discover Call Center Unpaid Wages Settlement, Did You Work Their Call Center Between 2021 and 2025?

You Don’t Need to File Anything

Class members do not need to file a claim to benefit from this settlement. There is no claim form, no deadline to submit documents, and nothing to mail in.

If you want to object, here is what to do:

1. Write a letter that includes the case name (Morris v. Walmart Inc., No.1:22-cv-00016-SPW-TJC), your name, address, phone number, and the legal basis for your objection.
2. Mail your objection to the Clerk, United States District Court for the District of Montana, Missouri River Federal Courthouse, 125 Central Avenue West, Suite 110, Great Falls, MT 59404.
3. Your objection must arrive by April 23, 2026.
4. Note whether you plan to appear at the May 13, 2026 hearing.

Estimated time to submit an objection: 15–20 minutes.

Key Dates

Milestone	Date
Lawsuit Filed	February 23, 2022
Settlement Agreement Signed	March 20, 2026
Objection Deadline	April 23, 2026
Fairness Hearing	May 13, 2026
Opt-Out Deadline	N/A (no opt-out available)
Claim Filing Deadline	N/A (no claim form required)
Disclosure Changes Implemented	~180 days after final approval
Expected Cash Payment Date	N/A

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to do anything to benefit from this settlement?

 No. If the settlement is approved, you would benefit from Walmart’s changed checkout counter check disclosures. Nothing to file, no deadline to meet.

Will I receive any money from this settlement?

 No. This settlement provides no cash to class members. The entire $1.85 million fund covers only attorneys’ fees and a service award to named plaintiff Brandy Morris. The benefit to you is the policy change, not a payout.

Can I still sue Walmart or TeleCheck for money I lost to extra fees?

Yes. You are giving up only your right to sue Walmart and TeleCheck asking them to change the check-processing disclosures — you are not giving up your right to sue Walmart and TeleCheck for monetary damages.

Can I opt out of the settlement? 

No. Because this settlement does not ask that you give up your right to seek compensation for your damages, there is no opt-out available. You can, however, object to the settlement.

Is this settlement legitimate?

 Yes. It is a federal court case filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana. The official settlement website is checkpolicysettlement.com. Class counsel are KalielGold PLLC and Hausfeld LLP, two established consumer class action firms.

Do I need a lawyer to participate?

 No. You are automatically covered as a class member if you ever wrote a check at a U.S. Walmart store. You may retain your own counsel for the purpose of challenging the settlement, but this is optional and at your own expense.

When will I receive a payment? 

There is no payment to class members. If you are asking about the disclosure changes, Walmart will implement the required changes approximately 180 days after the court grants final approval.

Will this settlement affect my taxes? 

Because no cash is distributed to class members, there is no taxable settlement income to report. Consult a tax professional if you have specific questions about your situation.

Sources

• Official Settlement Website — checkpolicysettlement.com
• Settlement Agreement (March 20, 2026)
• PACER Docket — Morris v. Walmart Inc., No. 1:22-cv-00016 (D. Mont.)

Last Updated: March 26, 2026

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Legal claims and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. For advice regarding a particular situation, consult a qualified attorney.