The September 2011 issue of Wisconsin Lawyer included an article about class actions, which led to the recommended title for this month.
When researching class action litigation at the WI State Law
Library, there is little doubt that Newberg on Class Actions will give you a comprehensive analysis
of that area of litigation. However, as a ten volume set it is a little
difficult to check out and carry from the library without a large and
well-constructed bag. For a smaller overview that goes beyond a nutshell, try Class Actions: the Law of 50 States, by Thomas Dickerson (Law
Journal Seminars Press).
Like the larger Newberg set, Dickerson's Class Actions provides commentary on
requirements for class action cases and prefiling considerations – all heavily
annotated with state cases.
Dickerson's structured analysis follows the general flow of
a class action case, beginning with selecting representatives and finishing
with settlements, costs, and fees. Along the way is also covered:
- Class Action Fairness Act of 2005
- Pre and post-certification discovery
- Responding to motions and counterclaims
- General state practice and notice requirements