Unfair settlements generally serve self-interested lawyers and third parties at the expense of absent class members, the group of people whose rights are traded away to settle a class action. Lawyers have an interest in their fees, defendants have an interest in cheaply disposing of a lawsuit, and the class’ interests can take a back seat in the process. CCAF seeks to solve these problems by representing such class members pro bono and presenting judges with the other side of the argument. When CCAF prevails, lawyers get less, class members get more, and the rule of law is strengthened.
The New York Times says CCAF’s Ted Frank is “the leading critic of abusive class action settlements,” while Reuters called him a “class action maverick” and “among class action lawyers’ most feared objectors.”
Featured Posts
Reason
Photos Show the Transformation of Great Britain
Not so long ago, Great Britain was deemed “the sick man of Europe.” The 1970s were plagued by inflation, labor union strikes, and a rise…
News Release
CEI Disappointed in Outcome of Supreme Court Decision in Class Action Settlement Case, Frank v. Gaos, but Hopeful for Future Resolution
In Frank v. Gaos, a class action-related case initiated by former CEI attorneys, the U.S. Supreme Court today decided to send the case back to…
News Release
CEI Congratulates Ted Frank and CCAF on the Launch of the Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute
Since merging with CEI in 2015, the Center for Class Action Fairness (CCAF) has continued the mission Ted Frank began nearly a decade ago. CCAF has…
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Blog
Online DVD Rental Antitrust Litigation / Wal-Mart/Netflix Settlement
Class members (including me) are getting email notice of a class action settlement with Wal-Mart in the Online DVD Rental Antitrust Litigation, No. M…
Above The Law
Attorneys Fees in Class Actions: Too Low, Too High, or Just Right?
Above The Law features Ted Frank alongside other lawyers who spoke on a pannel at the National Lawyers Covention of the Federalist Society.
Blog
Barber Auto Sales v. UPS
The Center has objected to a settlement that would pay $2 million to class members (without even telling them how much of their claims…
Blog
Working through the email
As you might expect, I got a lot of email from the October 31 Wall Street Journal story. Between an October 31 Ninth Circuit deadline,…
Blog
Some updates
Yesterday, we filed the opening brief in our HP Inkjet Ninth Circuit appeal. Details at Point of Law. The district court approved the $0…
The Wall Street Journal
Ted Frank: A Conscientious Objector
The Wall Street Journal's Law Blog highlights Center for Class Action Fairness' founder Ted Frank. [Ted Frank] tends to stay and fight settlements…
Wall Street Journal
A Class-Action Settlement’s Value Isn’t Always Clear Cut
Wall Street Journal reports on Ted Frank's objection to the Sirius XM settlement because it would have no benefits to the class members who were…
Wall Street Journal
A Litigator Fights Class-Action Suits
The Wall Street journal writes a profile on Center for Class Action Fairness' founder Ted Frank and his efforts to fight settlements that give the…
Blog
Welcome, Wall Street Journal readers
Welcome to those of you who found this page after reading the Wall Street Journal profile. The Journal also discussed our Sirius XM…
Blog
Franklin Templeton mutual fund settlement
The attorneys have asked the court to approve a settlement that would give the attorneys $2.142 million and the class $2.27 million. (Good luck finding…
Legal Newsline
Attorney: Voucher redemption in AG Hood case not surprising
Legal Newsline discusses the Microsoft class action settlement case with Ted Frank. The 2009 settlement provided $40 million for the State, $10 million…
Cronkite News
Judge removes hurdle to challenge of $3.4 billion Indian lands settlement
Cronkite News reports on a case in which Kimberly Craven, represented by Ted Frank, objects to the process in which a settlement will be distributed…
Blog
Brazil v. Dell
The class attorneys in Brazil v. Dell are asking for $6 million for themselves, but it is a claims-made settlement that will almost certainly pay a…
Cronkite News
Legal Wrangling to Delay Payout in Massive Indian Class-Action Lawsuit
Cronkite News discusses Ted Frank's objection to a settlement, on behalf of Kimberly Craven, because the class members who suffered the most were paid the…
Cincinatti Business Courier
P&G’s Papmers deal pooh-poohed
The Cincinnati Business Courier reports on the objections to the P&G and Bluetooth settlements which gave plantiff lawyers far more in fees than the class…
Blog
Pampers Dry Max class action settlement objection
This week, we objected to a $0 settlement of the Pampers Dry Max class action that proposes paying $2.7 million to the lawyers. More…
Blog
Sirius XM settlement approved
Judge Baer approved the $0 Blessing v. Sirius XM settlement and $13 million fee award yesterday. The decision contradicts (and ignores) Bluetooth,…
Blog
Classmates.com class action settlement (again)
I’m getting lots of emails about the Classmates.com class action settlement notice. We’re aware of it, because we’re already in the case: we earlier…
Blog
CCAF wins in Ninth Circuit
WASHINGTON, DC – The Center for…
Blog
Georgia investigation into judge’s use of cy pres
I’m quoted in a newspaper’s investigation into a Georgia judge’s seemingly self-serving use of cy pres awards. More details at Point of Law.
LegalNewsline
Ninth Circuit rejects class action settlement
Legal Newsline quotes Ted Frank's commentary on the class action over Apple Ipods which was dismissed in 2008. The Center for Class Action…
Ledger-Enquirer
Judge Doug Pullen’s ‘Gifts’: Records reveal judge directed millions to Mercer and Morehouse, gained recognition
The Ledger-Enquirer discusses the issue of distributing settlement money to plaintiffs and mentions Ted Frank's insights on the subject. Critics say the potential…
Blog
I’m kind of annoyed at the Los Angeles Daily Journal
CCAF, a non-profit project unaffiliated with and unsupported by any corporate funding, does not lobby. But the LA Daily Journal says that they don’t need…
Forbes
Headset Settlement That Paid Lawyers, Not Clients, Is Rejected
Forbes reports on Center for Class Action Fairness' victory in a case blocking a settlement that resulted in large benefits for lawyers and much smaller benefits for…
Courthouse News Service
Court Vacates Predatory Bluetooth Headset Deal
Courthouse News Service reports on Center for Class Action Fairness' objection to a settlement set to benefit the plaintiffs' lawyers but not the class members…
Law 360
9th Circ. Chucks Bluetooth Deal Due To High Atty Fees
Law 360 discusses with Ted Frank the result of Bluetooth makers settlement case objection. Theodore Frank of the Center for Class Action Fairness,…
Blog
Opening brief filed in appeal of Volkswagen class action settlement approval
We filed our opening brief last Friday. Details at Point of Law. It’s still unclear to me why the Third Circuit waited a…
Blog
Objection in Trombley v. National City Bank
The D.C. Circuit is correct, I think, in holding that an attorneys’ fee in a class action should be calculated as a percentage as the…
Blog
On KOGO (San Diego) 1:05 pm today
I will be on the LaDona Live program on KOGO (San Diego), 600 AM at 1:05 PM Pacific, talking about CCAF’s objection in…
Blog
CCAF objection in Blessing v. Sirius XM Radio
The Center for Class Action Fairness LLC objected today to a valueless class action settlement: the objection, filed in the Southern District of New…
Blog
June 20 was a busy day
The growth of the Center for Class Action Fairness LLC can be shown just by the breadth of its activities on Monday, June 20: There…
Blog
Weeks v. Kellogg – Rice Krispies class action settlement
In 2009, the state of Oregon complained to Kellogg that they said Rice Krispies and Cocoa Krispies were fortified with antioxidants, and Kellogg changed the…
Blog
Bankruptcy creditor objections: “Hipster Battles Funds”
A bankruptcy court reorganization approval has some similarities to a class action settlement fairness hearing, as the court engages in an equitable inquiry to determine…
Blog
Baby products objection
As discussed at Point of Law, CCAF has filed an objection to the Babies “R” Us settlement in McDonough v. Toys “R” Us,…
Blog
Briefing in Cobell v. Salazar Indian trust class action
Details at Point of Law.
Forbes
Appeals Court Approves $21 Million Fee In A.G. Edwards Case
Forbes reports on Ted Frank's objection to the A.G. Edwards coupon settlements that may provide little to no benefits to plaintiffs. Ted Frank’s…
Blog
AOL cy pres Ninth Circuit appeal oral argument set
I’ll be arguing the AOL cy pres case June 7 in Pasadena. (My record in Ninth Circuit oral arguments to date: 2-0, with…
Blog
Stetson v. West Publishing Corp. – BarBri Class Action Settlement
Because the 170,000 class members are law students and lawyers, I’ve been getting a lot of inquiries about this case and its coupon settlement. Stay…
Blog
Court rules for NVIDIA
Details at the Point of Law blog. I’m sorry, as well as angry. Update: I won’t be filing an appeal, though my clients are…
Blog
Illegal coupon settlement in Nevada
Daniel Greenberg of the Center for Class Action Fairness LLC has filed an objection on behalf of two class members to a coupon settlement…
Blog
Reply brief in Bachman v. A.G. Edwards coupon settlement appeal
Milberg and several other law firms collected $21 million in quick-pay fees for a Missouri state-court class action settlement that provided face value of $39…
Blog
Gittin v. KCI USA and Calloway v. CashNetUSA class action settlements
In these two California class action settlements over debt-collection practices, one strongly suspects the attorneys are trying to rip off their clients: notwithstanding the clear…
Blog
Cobell v. Salazar
Today the Center for Class Action Fairness filed an objection to the $3.4 billion taxpayer-funded Cobell Indian trust settlement on behalf of Sisseton-Wahpeton Ovate…
Blog
April 18 press release
CENTER FOR CLASS ACTION FAIRNESS ANNOUNCES MULTIPLE VICTORIES WASHINGTON, DC – Today the Center for Class Action Fairness LLC announced multiple…
Blog
Babies “R” Us baby products antitrust class action settlement: McDonough v. Toys “R” Us
A class action against Babies “R” Us and manufacturers of upscale baby products—BabyBjorns, Britax car seats, Kids Line and Peg Perego products, Maclaren strollers, Medela…
Blog
Objectors and fee requests
We recently had two victories in two cases in front of the same judge; the question then becomes whether to submit a fee request. There’s…
Blog
EA Sports Litigation (Pecover v. Electronic Arts Inc.)
Class members getting a notice for this case have been writing me. Dudes: I made my name in the Grand Theft Auto class action,…
Blog
Court reduces fees after CCAF objection to HP settlement
In January, we discussed a Center for Class Action Fairness objection to a coupon settlement involving HP inkjet printers. That settlement turned out to…
Blog
April Fools Day and the New York Times
I recently treated myself to the new iPad, which arrived this week, and was looking forward to reading the NY Times this morning with that…
Blog
Speaking at University of Cincinnati April 1
I’m apparently a “leading advocate for class action reform.” An impressive roster of speakers is going to have to sit through my lunchtime…
Blog
NVIDIA hearing held March 28
As I discussed on our Facebook page yesterday, I wasn’t given our full ten minutes to argue in the hearing, while Milberg and NVIDIA took…
Blog
Reply brief filed in NVIDIA case
Our earlier post continues to update the docket, most notably with our reply brief filed today. It’s hard to believe that multiple millionaire…
Blog
Interview with the American Lawyer
There’s a pretty nice interview of me on the American Lawyer website.
Blog
NVIDIA class action settlement: Milberg declares war on its clients
If there was ever any question of whether Milberg was going to side with its putative clients or its putative adversary, we now have an…
Blog
In re HP Laserjet and the question of injunctive relief
On February 14, there was an hour-long fairness hearing before Judge Guilford in the Central District of California, and anyone who practices in federal court…
Blog
The return of the $0 Costco fuel settlement
You will recall that a class action is pending in Kansas over gasoline retailers’ failure to disclose the laws of physics to customers, i.e., gasoline,…
Blog
Merger lawsuits
I’m quoted in a Reuters story about merger lawsuits and their quick settlements: Settlements often come fast, and plaintiffs’ lawyers share in the spoils…
Blog
Oral argument in the Bluetooth case
The audio file of Monday’s oral argument in the Ninth Circuit in the Bluetooth case is now on line. The panel consisted of…
Blog
Apple backdating litigation update
We opposed preliminary approval of the Apple settlement because there was a possibility that money would go to third parties at the expense of…
Blog
Additional briefing in the HP Inkjet Printer coupon settlement case
The briefing by the settling parties in support of final approval seemed exceptionally poor, though I admittedly have never been in a position where I’ve…
Blog
Victory: court rejects Classmates.com settlement
We’d like to think our objection had at least a little to do with the end result. This decision is not a big surprise…
Blog
Press coverage of the Bachman case
In Litigation Daily, Forbes.com, and the Washington Times. Also Amy Alkon’s blog.
Blog
Bachman v. A.G. Edwards coupon class action settlement appeal
Our unsuccessful objection to the Bachman v. A.G. Edwards settlement, which consisted almost entirely of time-restricted non-transferable $8.22 coupons, received press coverage…
Forbes
Lawyer Appeals Judge’s Award Of $21 Million In Fees, $8 Coupons For Clients
Forbes reports on Ted Frank addressing the issue of class-action lawyers requesting huge fees and gaining small coupons for the class members who were harmed. For…
Blog
Oral argument scheduled in the Bluetooth case
The Ninth Circuit has scheduled oral argument in the Bluetooth case for Monday, February 7, 9 a.m., in the federal courthouse in Pasadena. (Five other…
Blog
In re HP Inkjet Printer Litigation class action settlement objection
If I were to buy a three-pack of color ink for my inkjet printer today, it would cost me $42.99 at HP.com and $36.99 at…
Washington Times
EDITORIAL: Lawyering unto perdition
The Washington Times reports on the AG settlement that will provide little to no benefits to the class members, Ted Frank provides more information on…
Blog
Objection in Ercoline v. Unilever (Breyers Smooth & Dreamy) class action
We had to mail it to the court rather than electronically file it so it may not immediately show up in the docket, but today…
Blog
Kellogg’s Frosted Mini-Wheats class action settlement
In the Kellogg’s Frosted Mini-Wheats class action settlement, class members (those who purchased the cereal on certain dates in 2008 and 2009) who submit…
Blog
Press coverage
Not often that you see class actions discussed on ESPN.com, but Tuesday Morning Quarterback gave us a shout-out for our objection in the Classmates…
ESPN
Wes Welker can play for TMQ any day
ESPN reports on Center for Class Action Fairness' objection to an unfair settlement which granted lawyers huge fees but small payouts to the class members.
Connecticut Law Tribune
Challenging Cy Pres Scams
The Connecticut Law Tribune writes about Center for Class Action Fairness' work with fighting cy pres settlements. In the meanwhile, the fairly new Center…
Blog
In re Classmates.com class action settlement objection
We filed our objection late Thursday, and submitted ten other pro se objections that people took the trouble to send us for forwarding. Is…
Blog
Records on appeal
Under Fed. R. App. Proc. 30(b), appellants and appellees are to coordinate the production of a joint record on appeal, the appendix of the…
Blog
In re Apple Inc. Securities Litigation: parties modify settlement
You may recall that I was not pleased with an Apple settlement that provided for $2.5 million to go to a series of universities…
Blog
Google Buzz class action settlement
Notice went out today, and five separate people have emailed me in the last hour about the Google Buzz settlement, which I’ve been tracking…
Blog
“Cy Pres: A Not So Charitable Contribution to Class Action Practice”
I’m honored that Skadden’s John Beisner, one of the world’s leading class action attorneys, Jessica Miller, and Jordan Schwartz today released a new paper…
Blog
The illegal Apple backdating class action settlement
Did you buy Apple stock between 2001 and 2006? Ira Stoll and Jim Copland have discussed the outrageous Apple backdating lawsuit resulting…
Blog
$0 settlement in Breyers “Smooth & Dreamy” class action
Russell Jackson adds to my workload by drawing my attention to Ercoline v. Unilever United States, Inc., Civ. A. No. 2:10-cv-01747-SRC-MAS (D.N.J.), a…
Blog
Appeal bond briefing in Dewey v. Volkswagen
Trial lawyers often say that they care about access to justice, but that principle seems to go out the window when it comes to objectors…
Blog
The Classmates.com class action settlement rip-off
You may have been one of the millions of people to receive a settlement notice regarding a class action against Classmates.com; the settlement notice…
Blog
Watch the Center on “Stossel” tonight
The Center for Class Action Fairness will be featured on “Stossel” tonight: Fox Business News, 9 PM and midnight Eastern. I talk with John…
Blog
Some case updates
In Lonardo v. Travelers Insurance, our objection resulted in a $2 million improvement in the settlement. We maintained the objection, and the court…
Blog
“The Trouble with Coupons”
“Coupons are not a valid substitute for money in many situations outside grocery shopping.” But I probably can’t cite to that in a brief.
Blog
One more Sears brief
Plaintiffs and defendants filed three briefs Tuesday and Wednesday before the Friday fairness hearing in the Sears Holding derivative action. And I had a…
Blog
Stockholm Syndrome in the Nachshin v. AOL case
CCAF filed its reply brief today in the Nachshin v. AOL appeal. The principal-agent problem does not just affect class action plaintiffs’ attorneys enriching…
Blog
Professor John Palmer on the Center for Class Action Fairness
Professor John Palmer has some very generous things to say about me and the Center for Class Action Fairness on his excellent economics blog.
Blog
Update on Sears Holding Corp. derivative shareholder suit
Plaintiffs filed an opposition; I filed a reply. The hearing has been moved from today to September 10, 9:30 AM.
Blog
Appeal bond struck down
Imagine our surprise when we checked the docket in the Bachman case in late July (after checking it weekly since we filed our appeal) and…
Blog
Against derivative shareholder strike suits: Sears Holding Corporation, Robert F. Booth Trust v. Crowley
In the 1998 case of Felzen v. Andreas, the Seventh Circuit suggested that it was looking for an opportunity to take action against derivative…
Blog
Court rejects settlement in Costco fuel case
Today’s a busy day (there were filings in three different pending objections and appeals, two of them by us), but we’ll have to postpone discussion…
Blog
Amicus brief in AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion
The Ninth Circuit’s holding in Concepcion v. AT&T Mobility, barring an arbitration clause that prohibits class actions as “unconscionable,” rests upon a belief in…
Blog
In re Yahoo! Ninth Circuit appeal
Today the Center filed the opening brief in the appeal of the In re Yahoo! settlement approval. We make a process argument—the district…
Blog
Settlement approved in Dewey v. Volkswagen
Wednesday, August 4, Judge Patty Shwartz (D.N.J.) approved the Dewey v. Volkswagen settlement to which the Center for Class Action Fairness had objected. In…
Blog
Want to be a pro bono economic expert? In re Apple & ATTM Antitrust Litig.
When Apple introduced its iPhone into a smartphone market where it had 0% market share, it cut a deal with AT&T Mobility to make it…
Blog
Dewey v. Volkswagen, Water Ingress Settlement fairness hearing
A tiny percentage of Volkswagen and Audi sunroofs will leak into the vehicle unless care is taken to keep the plenum clear of debris; a…
Blog
Ninth Circuit appeal over cy pres: Nachshin v. AOL
Tuesday, the Center filed its opening brief appealing the approval of a class action settlement against AOL. We focused our appeal on the…
Blog
A post for Fed Jur buffs only
Parties in a class action agree to submit to the jurisdiction of an Article I magistrate under 28 U.S.C. § 636(c). Then they settle the…
Blog
Dewey v. Volkswagen, Water Ingress Settlement objection response briefing
Today we filed our response brief; plaintiffs largely ignored the arguments we made earlier and instead made ad hominem complaints about some quotes…
Blog
Robert Booth Trust v. William Crowley, Sears Holding Corporation shareholder derivative lawsuit
If you’re a Sears Holding Corporation (SHLD) shareholder like me, there’s a pretty big chance that you got a letter in the mail informing you…