What is a "class action lawsuit"?

A class action lawsuit is a legal proceeding where a single person or a small group of people can file a lawsuit on behalf of a larger group of individuals who share common legal claims or interests. This type of lawsuit is particularly useful when the claims of the group are similar enough to justify combining them into one single action for efficiency and effectiveness in the courtroom.

Class action lawsuits are often utilized in situations involving consumer rights, employee rights, and various forms of systemic injustices where many individuals are affected by the same issue, such as product defects or environmental hazards. By allowing the representation of a large group, class action lawsuits can make legal recourse accessible to those who might not pursue individual claims due to high costs or the complexity of legal processes.

This contrasts with other options, which do not accurately define what constitutes a class action. For example, cases involving international parties, individual plaintiffs, or constitutional issues are important aspects of law but do not specifically pertain to the collective nature of a class action lawsuit.