Rechtshilfe und Rechtsstaat

In the American law of civil procedure, class actions are a means of regulation through litigation by the citizen. These can lead to transatlantic tension if European companies as the defendants are liable for large claims for damages. Klaus J. Hopt, Rainer Kulms and Jan von Hein examine the law of class action. They study the procedures involved, starting with the application for certification as a class action, continuing with the settlement which often ends the proceedings, the role played by the persons involved and their lawyers and the control of damages seen as being excessive by the appellate courts. On the basis of comparative law, the authors also examine the possibilities of warding off the service of a class action in accordance with the Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents in Civil or Commercial Matters.