Courts balance these by considering the overlap of factual or legal issues and evaluating if joint proceedings would unduly complicate matters or mislead jurors. Judicial economy focuses on efficiency and resource conservation, while protecting against prejudice involves ensuring fair treatment for all parties without undue influence from combined claims.
For example: In a case involving numerous employees alleging wage violations by a single employer, consolidating the claims might serve judicial economy without significant risk of prejudice due to shared employment practices across plaintiffs.