Current Issue

The defensive use of federal class actions in mass torts is currently having its fifteen minutes of fame. Defendants have historically used federal class actions to resolve their litigation problems…

The proposed amendments to Federal Rule 23 currently are working their way through the rulemaking process, with the public notice and comment period ending February 15, 1997. The proposed amendments…

The year 1995 will long be remembered as the year in which Congress first tackled the thorny issue of tort reform. Rarely has such an issue so inflamed passions and…

For most purposes one needs to know only three things about the history of class litigation. First, for a procedural device constantly accused of being a dangerous innovation, group litigation…

As Professor Yeazell has shown, present Federal Rule 23 has a surprisingly long lineage, but it remains a work in progress. One of its "roots," the aptly named "Bill of…

Professor Yeazell's Article in this symposium' treats several historical aspects of class-action practice that are relevant to modem settlement-class issues. His title refers to "defendant classes," which can include numerous…