class action

noun

: a legal action undertaken by one or more plaintiffs on behalf of themselves and all other persons having an identical interest in the alleged wrong

Examples of class action in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The terms of service on Casting Networks include a mandatory arbitration provision and a class action waiver, which purports to bar subscribers from pursuing class action suits. —Gene Maddaus, Variety, 16 Apr. 2024

Its specialized services range from EB-5 support to class action suits, M&A deals, and more. —Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024

Google is also currently changing its Incognito Mode to actually delete browser history in the fallout of a class action lawsuit over the privacy mode’s limitations. —Kyle Barr / Gizmodo, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024

Companies that made these chemicals are also on the hook for more than $10 billion from a class action lawsuit – money which will go to public water systems to remove PFAS. —Pien Huang, NPR, 10 Apr. 2024

Norfolk Southern has agreed to a $600 million settlement to resolve a class action lawsuit related to the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, in February 2023. —Mark Osborne, ABC News, 9 Apr. 2024

The class action case, like the Hunterbrook Media report, alleges United Wholesale Mortgage caused consumers to overpay by pressuring independent mortgage brokers to funnel business its way. —Alexis Waiss, The Arizona Republic, 6 Apr. 2024

The lawsuit comes on the heels of Disney facing growing legal woes over allegations of pay discrimination against women described in a class action filed in 2019. —Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Apr. 2024

Jonasson’s suit follows a 2019 class action filing by women against Disney alleging pay disparity. —Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

class action

noun

: an action in which a representative plaintiff sues or a representative defendant is sued on behalf of a class of plaintiffs or defendants who have the same interests in the litigation as their representative and whose rights or liabilities can be more efficiently determined as a group than in a series of individual suits

called also class action suit, class suit

see also certification compare consolidate, joinder, test case at case

Note: Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure sets out the prerequisites for having an action certified as a class action in federal court. Section (a) permits a class action if “(1) the class is so numerous that joinder of all members is impracticable, (2) there are questions of law or fact common to the class, (3) the claims or defenses of the representative parties are typical of the claims or defenses of the class, and (4) the representative parties will fairly and adequately protect the interests of the class.” If the action satisfies these requirements, it must then fit into one of three categories: (1) where individual litigation would have varying results requiring the opposing party to act inconsistently toward the class members or would affect the interests of class members who are not parties to the individual action; (2) where the opposing party has acted or refused to act on grounds that are applicable to the class members as a whole and therefore injunctive or declaratory relief with respect to the class members as a whole is appropriate; or, (3) where the questions of law or fact common to the class members outweigh questions that apply to only particular individuals so that a class action is the best method to determine respective rights and liabilities. Using these guidelines, the judge will decide if an action should be certified as a class action.