Rule 23 Class Actions in Federal Court

<h2>Rule 23 Requirements</h2><p>To certify a class under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23, the plaintiff must satisfy four prerequisites: (1) numerosity — the class is so large that joinder is impracticable; (2) commonality — questions of law or fact common to the class; (3) typicality — the representative's claims are typical of the class; and (4) adequacy — the representative will fairly and adequately protect class interests.</p><h2>Types of Class Actions</h2><ul><li><strong>Rule 23(b)(1):</strong> Risk of inconsistent adjudications or impairment of other class members' interests</li><li><strong>Rule 23(b)(2):</strong> Injunctive or declaratory relief appropriate for the class as a whole</li><li><strong>Rule 23(b)(3):</strong> Common questions predominate and class action is superior to other methods (most common for damages classes)</li></ul>