Fairness in Class Action SettlementsPDF|Epub|txt|kindle电子书版本网盘下载

Fairness in Class Action SettlementsPDF格式电子书版下载

注意：本站所有压缩包均有解压码： 点击下载压缩包解压工具

INTRODUCTION1

PREFACE： RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND SUMMARY OF DATA15

Ⅰ. CHOICE OF METHOD15

Ⅱ. QUALITATIVE INTERVIEW METHODOLOGY17

Ⅲ. SPECIFIC ANALYTICAL APPROACH： TESTING THE PLAUSIBILITY OF REFORM HYPOTHESES21

Ⅳ. LIMITATIONS TO PROJECT22

CHAPTER Ⅰ： CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT DYNAMICS：LAWS AND PROCESSES25

Ⅰ. CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT LAWS25

A.Similarities in the Class Action Statutes across Jurisdictions26

B.Statutory Laws Relating to Class Action Settlements in the Four Target Jurisdictions30

1. Ontario，British Columbia and Quebec Statutes31

2. United States Federal Statutes35

C.Court Organisation in the Focus Jurisdictions42

Ⅱ. CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT PROCESSES43

A.Types of Class Action Settlements45

B.Evidence and Materials Supporting the Proposed Settlement’s Fairness49

1. Burden of Proof of Settlement Fairness49

2. Materials Supporting the Proof of Settlement Fairness50

C.Class Action Settlement Hearings54

1. Preliminary Hearing54

2. Notices of Settlement and Hearing，Objections and Opt-Outs57

3. Fairness Hearing62

D.Class Action Settlement Approval Practices64

1. The Fairness Hearing（s）64

2. Experts，Witnesses and Oral Arguments69

3. Court Monitor or Counsel for the Court72

4. Evidence Necessary to Prove Settlement Fairness74

5. Objections76

E.Consequences of Settlement Approval78

1. Binding Effect78

2. Involvement in Administration and Implementation of the Settlement79

F.Appeal Rights81

Ⅲ.REFORMING CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT PROCESSES： AN INFORMED，TRANSPARENT AND ECONOMICAL PROCESS OF SETTLEMENT EVALUATION AND APPROVAL83

A.At the Negotiations Stage84

B.At the Settlement Evaluation Stage89

C.At the Settlement Administration and Implementation Stages96

CHAPTER Ⅱ： CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT ACTORS：WHO PROTECTS WHOM？99

Ⅰ. THE RELATIONSHIPS CREATED BY AND BETWEEN CLASS REPRESENTATIVES，CLASS COUNSEL AND THE ABSENT CLASS MEMBERS100

A.Who Are the “Absent” Class Members？100

B.Are Class Counsel Properly Fiduciaries of Absent Class Members？103

C.The Class Representative： A Real or Fictitious Spokesperson of the Class Members？109

D.Judicial Perceptions of the Settlement Actors and Related Practices115

1. The Class Action Representative116

2. Class and Defence Counsel and the Absent Class Members119

Ⅱ. THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT JUDGES122

A.The Law Applicable to the Role of Settlement Judges123

B.Judicial Perceptions and Practices Relative to the Role of Settlement Judges130

1. The Context： Lack of Adversarial Presentation130

2. The Role of the Settlement Judge134

a） A Complex，Multifaceted Role134

b） Judicial Perceptions of the Role of the Settlement Judge： Negotiator，Conciliator，Adjudicator136

c） Protectors，Fiduciaries，and Ombudsmen138

d） Inquisitorial Judges141

e） Trends in Judicial Practices： the Weight of Time，the Timing of Judicial Involvement and the Multi-Jurisdictional Context146

（ⅰ） The Weight of Time146

（ⅱ） The Timing of Judicial Involvement with Settlement147

（ⅲ） The Multi-Jurisdictional Context149

Conclusion on Settlement Actors and Judges151

Ⅲ. REFORMING THE ROLES OF CLASS REPRESENTATIVES AND CLASS COUNSEL154

A.Candid，Honest and Adequate Representatives and Informed Class Members154

B.Active，Inquisitorial and Protector Judges162

1. The Active and Involved Judge165

2. The Judge as Protector of the Interests of Class Members，But Also of Defendants and the Public166

3. An Inquisitorial Judge169

4. Different Task，Different Role？171

CHAPTER Ⅲ： CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT FAIRNESS175

Ⅰ. FAIRNESS HEARING DOCTRINE IN NORTH AMERICAN COURTS177

A.“Fair，Reasonable and Adequate” or “In the Best Interests of the Class”177

B.Substantive and Procedural Inquiries into the Proposed Settlement’s Fairness181

C.Scarcity of Settlement Denials183

Ⅱ. RE-CATEGORIZATION OF THE RELEVANT FAIRNESS FACTORS187

A.Tracking the Merits of the Proposed Settlement：Factors Useful to the Substantive Fairness Inquiry187

1. Intrinsic Factors of Substantive Fairness187

a） Judicial Risk Analysis： Likelihood of Recovery or Likelihood of Success on the Merits Weighed Against Amount and Form of Settlement Relief187

b） Future Expense，Complexity and Likely Duration of the Litigation189

2. Extrinsic Factors of Substantive Fairness191

a） Class Reaction： Number and Nature of Objections191

b） Recommendation and Experience of Counsel and Opinion of Interested Persons193

B.Procedural Concerns about the Proposed Settlement：Factors Useful to the Procedural Fairness Inquiry195

1. Adequacy of Representation，Good Faith and Absence of Collusion195

a） Negotiation of Counsel Fees in Settlement and Amount of Fees197

b） Discovery Evidence Sufficient for “Effective Representation”198

2. Adequacy of the Notice of Proposed Settlement to Absent Class Members199

C.Golden Rules of the Fairness Inquiry201

1. Required “Range of Reasonableness” of the Proposed Settlement201

2. Consideration of the Underlying Objectives of the Class Action Statutes203

Ⅲ. INADEQUACY OF THE CURRENT JUDICIAL REVIEW PROCESS OF CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENTS205

A.Strong Public Policy and Judicial Preference for Class Action Settlements205

B.Inconsistent Uses and Applications of the Procedural and Substantive Fairness Lines of Inquiry at the Fairness Hearing208

Ⅳ. IN SEARCH OF A CLEARER STANDARD OF SETTLEMENT FAIRNESS209

A.Is Fairness Definable in a Class Action Settlement Context？209

1. Model of Conciliation of Procedural and Substantive Fairness： the Jeffery Case212

2. Settlement Fairness in the American Law Institute’s Principles of the Law of Aggregate Litigation215

3. Settlement Fairness in the Dutch WCAM218

B.Fairness in Non-Class Action Contexts220

1. Fairness in Contract Law221

2. Fairness in Procedural （and Class Action） Law222

3. Fairness in the Approval of Canadian Corporate Arrangements225

a） The “Deal”： Arrangement versus Class Action Settlement226

b） Approval Processes and Actors227

c） Fairness Test and Court Approval of a Plan of Arrangement229

d） Conclusion235

C.Settlement Fairness Theories236

Ⅴ. JUDICIAL PRACTICES； OR MAKING SENSE OF “FAIRNESS”240

A.Adequacy of the Settlement Fairness Standard240

B.What Convinces Judges of Settlement Fairness242

C.Presuming Settlement Fairness249

D.Evaluating Settlement Fairness with Settlement Fairness Lists and Fairness Indicators251

1. Traditional Fairness Factors252

a） Adequacy of Notice of Proposed Settlement252

b） Adequacy of Representation253

c） Likelihood of Recovery or Likelihood of Success on the Merits Weighed against Amount and Form of Relief，and Future Expenses253

d） Good Faith of the Parties and Absence of Collusion254

e） Discovery Evidence Sufficient for Adequate Representation254

f） Reaction of the Class/Number of Objections255

g） Recommendation of Counsel257

h） Time of Negotiation of Counsel Fees and Amount of the Fees257

i） Equal and Fair Treatment of Class Members258

j） Other，Non-Traditional Fairness Factors258

2. Conclusion on Settlement Fairness Factors263

Ⅵ. REFORMING THE STANDARD OF SETTLEMENT FAIRNESS： A FAIR SETTLEMENT IS A SUBSTANTIVELY AND PROCEDURALLY FAIR DEAL REACHED BY ADEQUATE REPRESENTATIVES，CONSISTENTLY WITH CLASS ACTION OBJECTIVES264

CONCLUSION： THREE HATS，THREE MAJOR REFORM RECOMMENDATIONS； OR THE ROAD TO FAIR PROCESSES AND JUST OUTCOMES IN CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENTS275

BIBLIOGRAPHY287

LEGISLATION315

TABLE OF CASES317

INDEX333