Class action
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Related to Class action status: Class action lawsuit
Class action
A legal complaint filed by a lawyer or group of lawyers for a group of petitioners with an identical grievance, often with an award proportionate to the number of shareholders involved.
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Class Action Lawsuit
A lawsuit that occurs when multiple people, who claim to have been wronged by the defendant in the same or a similar way, seek restitution, even if the alleged wrongs occurred at different times. For example, multiple shareholders may file a class action suit against a company if they suffered losses from similar fraudulent actions. Proponents of class actions lawsuits contend that they allow "the little guy," however defined, to seek justice. Opponents argue that they enrich attorneys and do not necessarily help the actual plaintiffs. See also: Tort reform, Class Action Fairness Act of 2005.
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