class action settlement
Collective lawsuit payout
A class action settlement is an agreement resolving a lawsuit brought on behalf of a large group of people with similar claims.
Rather than go to trial, the defendant agrees to pay compensation or make changes, and affected parties receive notice explaining their options: accept the settlement, opt out, or object.
I got a check for $12 from some class action settlement against my phone company.
Most class members receive modest payouts while attorneys collect substantial fees—a frequent criticism of the system.
- lawsuitCivil court proceeding
- compensationPayment for services rendered
- payoutMoney distributed to recipient
- plaintiffsThose initiating lawsuits
- defendantsThose facing prosecution
lawyers · legal fees · courtroom · damages · claimants · refund · legal · verdict · attorney · check · filing · deadline · notice · eligibility · opt out · claim form · judge · court approval
- settlementsvillage, cities, hamlet, city, towns
- verdictsguilty verdict, guilty, not guilty, acquitted, innocent
class action settlementjury verdict
Deliberating body's formal decision
court ruling · summary judgment · default judgment · appellate decision
action, settlement, classes, actions, settlements, classed, classing, classify, classification