CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS

A class action, also known as a class-action lawsuit, class suit, or representative action, is a type of lawsuit where a person or small group of people is authorized to sue on behalf of the interests of a larger group of similarly situated parties. The class action originated in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is still predominantly an American phenomenon. However, Canada and several European countries with civil law systems have made changes in recent years to allow consumer organizations to bring claims on behalf of consumers.