ATM Fees

The state banking commissioner is studying the latest court decisions on fees for non-customer use of automatic teller machines. The issue is alive because Monday two federal courts old banks that the battle to charge noncustomers extra for using their automated teller machines should be waged in state courts. A federal appeals court ruled Monday that a case brought by Fleet Bank against Connecticut for prohibiting the fees should be heard in state court, not federal court. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal says the appeals court decision meant state Banking Commissioner John Burke could issue a cease-and-desist order prohibiting banks from imposing the fees. However, First Union bank went to Hartford federal court seeking to block any such order, but that request was rejected.