September 26, 2011

WSLL Recommends: Class Actions, the Law of 50 States


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