Involving around half a million US cars sold since 2008, the litigation could prove one of the largest of its kind in recent years. Groups of consumers have filed more than 480 federal lawsuits against the company in nearly 70 jurisdictions, seeking compensation for the alleged deception.
Home-court advantage
At the hearing on Thursday, lawyers were given two or three minutes to persuade a panel of seven judges where they prefer the cases to be bundled up and heard. The venue is important because lawyers with a home-court advantage are more likely to be given lead roles in steering the overall litigation.
Multidistrict Litigation
Consolidating the cases is part of a process called multidistrict litigation, which is generally seen as the best way to correct a ‘mass wrong’, according to Alexandra Lahav, a professor at University of Connecticut School of Law. Source: The Wall Street Journal
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