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 South Carolina, class action lawsuits are governed by the South Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure, specifically Rule 23, which is similar to Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. These rules allow one or more plaintiffs to represent a larger group with common legal or factual issues in a single lawsuit, provided certain criteria are met. These criteria include the numerosity of the plaintiffs, commonality of the legal or factual issues, typicality of the claims or defenses of the representative parties, and adequacy of representation. Class actions are designed to promote judicial efficiency and to provide a mechanism for individuals with similar claims, often too small to pursue individually, to combine their resources and challenge larger entities. Class actions in South Carolina can address a wide range of issues, including consumer fraud, corporate misconduct, environmental disasters, and other matters affecting large numbers of people. Both state and federal courts in South Carolina can hear class action lawsuits, depending on the nature of the claims and the parties involved.