Class Action

The procedure letting one plaintiff sue on behalf of a large group

Overview

Class treatment under Rule 23 aggregates thousands of small claims that no one would bring alone, binding absent members after notice and an opt out chance, with courts policing adequacy of representation and settlement fairness. It powers consumer, securities, antitrust, and mass tort litigation, and its certification rulings effectively decide cases. Critics see extortionate settlements for plaintiffs lawyers, defenders see the only real deterrent for mass harm. Several states and countries restrict or refuse it, while copying pieces. Opt out rights in damages cases contrast with opt in patterns in parts of Europe, shaping who is bound.