The class action is a uniquely American procedure that has become one of the most controversial features of US law. It allows individuals to sue for injury not only to themselves, but also for other persons similarly situated. Depending on one’s point of view, it is either a powerful vehicle for enforcing the rights of the powerless or a Frankenstein’s monster.
Class actions can cover the whole range of law suits – defective products (autos, appliances, pharmaceuticals); environmental damage (air and water pollution, contamination of property); injury to consumers (deceptive trade practices in banking, financial services, credit cards, insurance); civil rights violations (police or governmental misconduct); and wrongful business behaviour (stock fraud, accounting irregularities, anti-competitive practices).
