Roundup is not a class action but rather a Multi-District-Litigation, a consolidation of several cases. There is a difference between a class action and consolidated cases. In class actions, a group of people have the same claim against the same person/company and nominate one of them as their representative. That chosen nominee files the suit on behalf of the class and represents the interest in the court. He is the one who is directly involved in the lawsuit and oversees the proceedings. Whereas the consolidation of the case means numerous people file an individual lawsuit of similar nature against the same person/company, and the questions of law and fact are the same in their cases. However, the court has the prerogative to fuse those lawsuits before a judge or a jury.