As the person who brings the class action, the class representative, your role is to represent your interests and the interests of the class. Like with most other types of litigation, to be the plaintiff, the things you will need to do to actively participate in the litigation will be to:
There may be additional obligations put on you depending on the case, and, if possible, we will inform you of them before your agreeing to be a class representative.
Depending on the corporate defendant, a class action may take many times longer or be quite a bit shorter than a individual cases. Some drag on for many years, while other class actions settle in a relatively short amount of time.
The usual order of events is that after a complaint is filed, the parties do limited investigation into whether the action fits the class action requirements. The plaintiffs then ask the court for class certification, a decision by the court whether the case may continue as a class action. The defendant generally opposes the request to try and stop the class from being certified.
The vast majority of class action cases are settled if the court certifies the case as a class action or if the defendant believes it will be certified. The members of a class action are notified of the proposed settlement and given an opportunity to join in or object to its terms. Some types of class actions require that you send in an "opt-in" form to join. For others, you're in if you do nothing. After the class members respond to the proposed settlement, a court determines whether the settlement is fair and reasonable.
The main benefit of class actions is that they level the playing field when individuals join together to take on a big company.
As a class plaintiff, you get the same benefit as all of the class members, plus, at the courts discretion, you may get a type of "bonus" as a thank you for your efforts in standing up for the rights of others.
Feel free to ask a legal questions that you would like answered. Your question will go directly and only to Deskin Law Firm, a professional law corporation. Deskin Law Firm will contact you directly to discuss your situation, usually via telephone, so please provide multiple ways to reach you via phone. Your situation will be kept confidential. There is no cost to discuss your situation and no attorney-client relationship is created by simply filling out the form and sending it.