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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 Michigan, class action lawsuits are governed by both state and federal law, depending on the jurisdiction of the case. Under Michigan state law, class actions are permitted in accordance with Michigan Court Rules (MCR 3.501), which closely mirror the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 23. These rules allow one or more plaintiffs to represent a larger group with common legal or factual issues against the same defendant(s). The class must be certified by the court, which requires meeting criteria such as numerosity, commonality, typicality, and adequacy of representation. If the case involves federal law or parties from different states with an amount in controversy exceeding $75,000, it may be brought under federal jurisdiction, where the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure would apply. Class actions are designed to promote judicial efficiency by resolving numerous similar claims in a single proceeding, rather than through individual lawsuits.

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Civil litigation

class actions

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Michigan State Code

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Civil litigation

class actions