What is class action litigation?

Class action litigation is a type of legal action that is taken on behalf of a group of people rather than just one individual. It is a legal tool that allows a group of people who have suffered a similar harm to take action against the same wrongdoer together and hold them accountable. In Hawaii, class action litigation is typically used when a group of people have suffered similar harm as a result of the same unlawful activity or product defect. For a class action lawsuit to take place in Hawaii, there must be a “class” of plaintiffs with similar claims. The class must be large enough that it is not practical or feasible for each individual plaintiff to bring a separate lawsuit. Once the class is certified by a court, the legal action is brought on behalf of the entire class instead of each member bringing a separate individual lawsuit. In a class action lawsuit, the class representative will represent all class members. This representative is usually chosen based on having suffered the greatest harm from the defendant’s actions. The outcome of the class action lawsuit will determine compensation and other remedies for all class members, meaning that each class member will receive the same benefits or damages regardless of whether or not they were active participants in bringing a lawsuit.

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