Which legal recourse does Betty have against the Bank for requiring her spouse to co-sign for a loan?

Betty has legal recourse for violating the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) because this federal law prohibits discrimination in lending based on various factors, including marital status. The ECOA aims to ensure that all consumers have fair access to credit without being subjected to unfair treatment based on characteristics such as gender, race, or whether they are married or single.

If the Bank requires Betty's spouse to co-sign solely based on their marital status, this could be seen as a discriminatory practice under the ECOA. The law is designed to protect consumers from being forced into situations where they have to include a spouse on a loan application when it is not necessary based on their creditworthiness or financial capacity.

In essence, if Betty can demonstrate that her marital status was a determining factor in the Bank's requirement for her spouse to co-sign, she would have grounds for a claim under the ECOA. This legal framework supports the idea that credit should be evaluated primarily based on an individual's ability to repay, rather than on marital connections.