What is the difference between a class action and a collective action?

Class action law and collective action are both legal processes used by groups of people who have similar grievances or claims against a company, organization, or individual. The primary difference between a class action and a collective action is the scope of the dispute and the individuals involved. A class action lawsuit is a legal procedure that allows a large group of people to bring a claim to court against a defendant in order to seek damages or other remedies. In a class action lawsuit, the group of people is called the “class” and the defendant is the “defendant.” The class members must have a common legal theory or claim supporting their lawsuit and must have suffered harm that is, in fact, similar. A single individual, called the “representative plaintiff”, acts on behalf of the class. However, only a small number of class members typically appear at the trial. On the other hand, a collective action is a legal proceeding that is brought by a group of individuals who have similar grievances or claims against the same defendant, but not necessarily a common legal theory. All members of the collective action must actively participate in the lawsuit and are required to “opt-in” to the lawsuit. Also, all members of the collective action are required to appear in court. In summary, a class action lawsuit is a legal procedure that allows a large group of people to bring a claim to court against a defendant, whereas a collective action is a legal proceeding that is brought by a group of individuals, and each individual must actively participate in the lawsuit and appear in court. In Florida, class action law is closely regulated and must comply with procedural rules and statutes.

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What is the difference between a class action and a collective action?

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