Class action
Class Action
Class action (pronunciation: /klæs ækʃən/), also known as a class-action lawsuit, class suit, or representative action, is a type of lawsuit where one of the parties is a group of people who are represented collectively by a member of that group. The class action originated in the United States and is still predominantly a U.S. phenomenon, but several European countries with civil law have made changes in recent years to allow consumer organizations to bring claims on behalf of consumers.
Etymology
The term "class action" comes from the legal practice of defining the group of people affected by the same issue as a "class". The "action" refers to the act of bringing a lawsuit to court. The term has been in use since the early 19th century.
Related Terms
- Lawsuit: A claim or dispute brought to a law court for adjudication.
- Plaintiff: A person who brings a case against another in a court of law.
- Defendant: An individual, company, or institution sued or accused in a court of law.
- Settlement: An official agreement intended to resolve a dispute or conflict.
- Damages: A sum of money claimed or awarded in compensation for a loss or an injury.
- Tort: A wrongful act or an infringement of a right leading to civil legal liability.
See Also
- Mass tort
- Multi-district litigation
- Class Action Fairness Act of 2005
- Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Class action
- Wikipedia's article - Class action
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