Class Actions

Over the years, the number of class action lawsuits has risen dramatically. Attorneys at Cotten Schmidt, L.L.P. have many years of experience in defending clients in class action and multi-district litigation.

A class action lawsuit (or multi-district litigation) is often a “bet the company” situation. Because of the complexities that will arise in class action litigation, our attorneys partner closely with in-house counsel and their clients at a matter’s inception to clearly define business goals, budgets, and litigation strategy. We then chart a course to achieve those desired results.

Our attorneys have defended class action claims for personal injuries and property damage. Historically, Cotten Schmidt, L.L.P. has successfully defeated efforts to certify classes, participated in bellwether trials, and defended appeals.

Most recently, Cotten Schmidt, L.L.P. attorneys defeated a class certification attempt based on an alleged §1983 civil rights violation by a local mayor, chief of police, jail, and city. The suit, alleging 14th and 8th Amendment constitutional violations arising out of the plaintiff’s detention at the local jail, was filed in the federal court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Consistent with our attorneys’ arguments, the federal court dismissed the class certification as the plaintiff failed to meet the requirements of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23.