Signed by President George Bush

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that would amend the federal judicial code in regards to the jurisdictional guidelines and award calculations applied to class action lawsuits.

Highlights:

• Requires that all class action settlement proposals include estimates of lawyers' fees if plaintiffs receive damages in the form of coupons (Sec. 3).

• Requires that notification of proposed settlement agreements be provided to all class members of a suit, as well as the appropriate state and federal officials (Sec. 3).

• Grants federal courts original jurisdiction of any civil action in which the matter exceeds $5 million, concerns a plaintiff of one state and a defendant of another, or involves a foreign state or its citizens (Sec. 4).

• Instructs federal courts to consider the geographical makeup of parties, the harm alleged in the suit, and the litigation history of the matter in question before assuming jurisdiction over it (Sec. 4).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that would amend the federal judicial code in regards to the jurisdictional guidelines and award calculations applied to class action lawsuits.

Highlights:

• Requires that all class action settlement proposals include estimates of lawyers' fees if plaintiffs receive damages in the form of coupons (Sec. 3).

• Requires that notification of proposed settlement agreements be provided to all class members of a suit, as well as the appropriate state and federal officials (Sec. 3).

• Grants federal courts original jurisdiction of any civil action in which the matter exceeds $5 million, concerns a plaintiff of one state and a defendant of another, or involves a foreign state or its citizens (Sec. 4).

• Instructs federal courts to consider the geographical makeup of parties, the harm alleged in the suit, and the litigation history of the matter in question before assuming jurisdiction over it (Sec. 4).

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text