What is a class action lawsuit?

A class action lawsuit is defined as a collective legal action involving a group of individuals who share similar claims against a common defendant. This mechanism allows one or several persons to sue on behalf of a larger group, or "class," of people who have experienced similar harm or have a common legal issue. The purpose of this type of lawsuit is to promote efficiency in the legal system by allowing for the resolution of multiple similar claims in a single proceeding, which can save time and resources for both the court and the parties involved.

This structure is particularly beneficial in cases where individual claims might be small or not worth the cost of pursuing on their own, such as consumer fraud, employment discrimination, or product liability cases. By coming together as a class, the members can pool their resources and share the costs associated with legal proceedings, making it easier to seek justice collectively.