Large-scale federal litigation aggregating claims of many plaintiffs
<h2>Overview</h2><p>Federal class actions and multi-district litigation (MDL) are powerful tools for aggregating the claims of large numbers of plaintiffs into efficient proceedings. Class actions under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23 allow a representative plaintiff to litigate on behalf of all similarly situated class members, while MDL consolidates related cases from multiple federal districts for coordinated pretrial proceedings.</p><h2>Why Federal Court?</h2><p>The Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 (CAFA) expanded federal jurisdiction over class actions, allowing removal to federal court when the aggregate amount in controversy exceeds $5 million and minimal diversity exists. This ensures that large, multi-state class actions are heard in federal court.</p>