Impact of the Class Action Fairness Act
on the Federal Courts
Preliminary Findings from Phase Two s Pre-CAFA
Sample of Diversity Class Actions
Emery G. Lee III & Thomas E. Willging
Team Leaders
George Cort Laural Hooper
Marie Leary Angelia Levy
Dean Miletich Robert Niemic
Shelia Thorpe
Project Team
Federal Judicial Center
2008
This Federal Judicial Center publication was undertaken in furtherance of the Center s statutory
mission to conduct and stimulate research for the improvement of judicial administration. The
views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Federal Judicial Center.
Impact of the Class Action Fairness Act on the Federal Courts
ii
Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1
Executive Summary ................................................................................................ 2
I. Description of the Sample of Class Actions ........................................................ 3
Type of Case ................................................................................................. 3
Type of Class Sought .................................................................................... 3
State and Federal Law Claims ...................................................................... 4
Motions Activity ........................................................................................... 4
Dispositions .................................................................................................. 6
Duration ........................................................................................................ 7
II. Analysis of Case Outcomes and Motions Activity ............................................. 8
Remands ....................................................................................................... 9
Voluntarily Dismissed Cases ...............................................................