What is class action litigation?

Class action litigation is a type of lawsuit that is filed by one or more individuals on behalf of a group of people who have been hurt or injured by the same act or wrongdoer. In Indiana, class action litigation provides a way to resolve legal disputes between a large group of people and a single defendant. When a class action lawsuit is filed, the court must decide if the group of people can be certified to proceed as a single entity. A class action lawsuit can be used to seek monetary damages as well as other forms of relief, such as injunctions or orders from the court. Generally, in order for a class action lawsuit to be certified, the class of plaintiffs must have numerous members who have suffered similar harm, and it must be shown that the harm to the individual members of the class is outweighed by the time, money, and resources it would take to pursue individual claims. If the class is certified, then the court will appoint a class representative who speaks on behalf of the group. After the class is certified, notices will be sent to potential class members giving them the opportunity to opt out of the lawsuit, allowing them to pursue their own claims rather than participating in the class action. Class action lawsuits are an important tool in the civil justice system, as they provide a mechanism for seeking justice on behalf of a large group of people who would otherwise be unable to seek relief due to the cost of individual court actions. This type of litigation is particularly useful in cases where the harm to each individual is small but the harm to the group is large.

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What is class action litigation?

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