Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that limits the circumstances under which plaintiffs may join their lawsuits, commonly known as a class action lawsuit.

Highlights:

• Prohibits plaintiffs from joining lawsuits based on (Sec. A):

• Injury outside of the state of Missouri;

• Separate purchases of the same product; or

• Separate incidents involving the same product.

• Authorizes plaintiffs in tort cases to join lawsuits only if each plaintiff could have filed a suit in the same venue irrespective of the claims of any other plaintiff (Sec. A).

• Specifies that, notwithstanding the above requirement, tort cases can be joined if each plaintiff could have filed the suit in adjoining counties and each county has a population of fewer than 150,000 (Sec. A).

• Authorizes plaintiffs who were injured in a state other than Missouri in a single, simultaneous occurrence to join lawsuits in Cole County (Sec. A).

Full Bill Text