| Class action lawsuits give individuals the power to | | | | governed by Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil |
| match up against corporations. Class actions can | | | | Procedure, when the suit involves class members, |
| be really successful if there are a large group of | | | | with common issues, across state lines. They can |
| class members who have all sustained a relatively | | | | also be brought before the federal court if the |
| small loss sustained as a result of corporate | | | | case is connected with federal law. Class action |
| criminality. The legal costs for individual members | | | | lawsuits can also be brought before state courts. |
| to file separately would be high. And the heavy | | | | Different states may have differences in civil law |
| burden on the court system would be excessive. | | | | and so may need individual attention or through |
| The purpose of class actions is to give a | | | | multi-district litigation. Federal courts are more |
| convenient and economic solution for mass tort | | | | hostile to class actions than their state |
| lawsuits.Class action lawsuits can be brought | | | | counterparts. |
| before the United States federal courts, as | | | | |