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Civil litigation

class actions

A class action is a type of lawsuit in which one or a few plaintiffs seek to represent hundreds or thousands of plaintiffs with the same or similar claims against the same defendants. Rules of procedure in state and federal courts permit class actions in limited circumstances for the purpose of resolving similar disputes more efficiently than if each plaintiff filed a separate lawsuit.

In Massachusetts, class action lawsuits are governed by Massachusetts Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 23, which is similar to the Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23. This rule allows one or more plaintiffs to file a lawsuit on behalf of a larger group, or 'class', provided that the class is so numerous that individual suits would be impractical, there are questions of law or fact common to the class, the claims or defenses of the representative parties are typical of the claims or defenses of the class, and the representative parties will fairly and adequately protect the interests of the class. The court must certify the class for the case to proceed as a class action. Once certified, class actions in Massachusetts can address a wide range of issues, including consumer fraud, securities violations, employment practices, and other matters where a large group of individuals have been affected in a similar way by the defendant's actions. The goal of a class action is to provide an efficient and economical way for large groups of people to resolve common legal issues.

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Civil litigation

class actions

As a LegalFix Member You Will Be an Important Client of Local Law Firms

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Massachusetts State Code

Massachusetts State Code

Civil litigation

class actions

Articles