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Class-Action Lawsuits

Class actions—civil cases in which parties initiate a lawsuit on behalf of plaintiffs not specifically named in the complaint—have elicited heated policy debates. The RAND Institute for Civil Justice conducts objective research on class action practices such as multidistrict litigation status, social policy class actions, and international class actions.

Report
The Globalization of Mass Civil Litigation: Lessons from the Volkswagen "Clean Diesel" Case
This report describes the Volkswagen "clean diesel" emission fraud litigation to illustrate the features of global mass litigation and the problems that arise in the resolution of these types of claims across transnational jurisdictions.
Jun 22, 2021
Multimedia
Opioid Litigation: What's New, and What Does It Mean for Future Litigation?
More than 2,000 plaintiffs have joined the largest civil trial in U.S. history: National Prescription Opiate Litigation (MDL 2804). In this virtual symposium, experts discuss the opioid litigation and its effects on the future of mass litigation.
Feb 9, 2021
Multimedia
The RAND Institute for Civil Justice: 40 Years
For 40 years, the RAND Institute for Civil Justice has supplied government and private decisionmakers and the public with the results of objective, empirically based, analytic research.
Dec 12, 2019
Report
The Role of Health Care Liens in Litigation and Recovery
This paper examines the different types of health care liens and trends in prevalence, as well as how liens have changed the landscape of claim resolution.
Nov 19, 2018
Report
Emerging Trends in Compensation for Widespread Losses
These conference proceedings explore emerging trends in compensation for widespread loss events, including regulators' changing roles, the impact of liens, and claim aggregation.
Dec 4, 2017
Commercial Book
Would Increased Transparency Improve the U.S. Civil Justice System?
Some argue that the confidentiality of the civil justice system keeps it working efficiently and fairly; others argue that the public is being denied information about hazards that may cause harm. A balanced approach to increasing transparency can improve the system, raise public confidence, and protect litigants' privacy.
Apr 24, 2012
Research Brief
Would Increased Transparency Improve the Civil Justice System?
This research brief provides an overview of a collection of essays, a collaborative project by the UCLA-RAND Center for Law and Public Policy, examining the trade-offs between transparency and confidentiality in the civil justice system.
Apr 24, 2012
News Release
New Book Explores Transparency in the American Civil Justice System
The quest for greater transparency in the American civil justice system is the topic of a new book of essays illustrating how a balanced approach to increasing transparency can improve the civil justice system, raise public confidence and protect litigants' privacy.
Apr 24, 2012
Content
RAND Institute for Civil Justice
The RAND Institute for Civil Justice (ICJ), a part of the Justice Policy program, conducts research on all aspects of civil justice, from trends in litigation and jury verdicts to punitive damages, compensation systems, and alternative dispute resolution. Directly or indirectly, civil justice issues have an impact on us all.
Oct 3, 2011
Journal Article
Group and Aggregate Litigation in the United States
While a class action such as one brought under Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 23 is certainly the most well-known mechanism for aggregating large numbers of similar claims, other approaches include mass joinder of parties, mass consolidation of separate cases, or multidistrict litigation transfer of federal cases from across the country into a single action for pretrial processing; corporate reorganizations under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code; large-scale inventories of clients controlled by a single attorney; government-initiated enforcement actions; and private attorneys general litigation brought on behalf of the general public.
Dec 31, 2008
Report
Class Actions Against Insurers Rose Prior to Recent Reforms
The number of class action lawsuits filed against insurance companies in the United States increased sharply during the 1990s prior to the passage of the federal Class Action Fairness Act of 2005.
May 12, 2007
News Release
RAND Study Finds Class Actions Against Insurers Rose Prior to Recent Reforms and Many Cases Occurred Outside Public View
April 4, 2007 news release: RAND Study Finds Class Actions Against Insurers Rose Prior to Recent Reforms and Many Cases Occurred Outside Public View.
Apr 4, 2007
Research Brief
Anatomy of an Insurance Class Action
This research brief describes characteristics of more than 700 class action cases against large U.S. insurers -- trends in claims, their allegations, and their outcomes -- including the vast majority of cases that never become certified as a class.
Mar 13, 2007
News Release
More Than 730,000 People Have Filed Asbestos Injury Claims in U.S., Costing Defendants More Than $70 Billion
More than 730,000 people in the United States filed compensation claims for asbestos-related injuries from the early 1970s through the end of 2002, costing businesses and insurance companies more than $70 billion.
May 10, 2005
Report
Asbestos-Related Claims Exceed 730,000, Cost More than $70 Billion
Claims for asbestos injuries have risen sharply since the 1990s and total more than 730,000 through 2002. At least 8,400 defendants have paid more than $70 billion on the litigation, 42 percent of which has gone to claimants.
May 9, 2005
Report
Revisiting the Monster: New Myths and Realities of Class Action and Other Large Scale Litigation
She extends her consideration of mass tort litigation to include what she terms "the new social policy torts": suits against tobacco companies, firearms manufacturers, and managed care organizations that are intended to change public policy.
Jan 1, 2002
Report
Asbestos Litigation Costs and Compensation: An Interim Report
Examines the dimensions of current asbestos litigation and the potential future effects of the litigation on the U.S. economy
Dec 31, 2001
Report
Beyond "It Just Ain't Worth It": Alternative Strategies for Damage Class Action Reform
In this article, the authors explore alternative strategies for class-action reform aimed at improving the cost-benefit ratio of damage class actions.
Jan 1, 2001
Report
Asbestos Litigation in the U.S. A New Look at an Old Issue
This briefing documents the first phase of a new study on asbestos litigation, now the longest-running mass tort litigation in U.S. history.
Dec 31, 2000
Report
Class Action Dilemmas: Pursuing Public Goals for Private Gain
Class action lawsuits — allowing one or a few plaintiffs to represent many who seek redress — have long been controversial.
Jan 1, 2000

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RAND Topic:
Class-Action Lawsuits

Topic Synonyms:
Class Actions

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