Opinion ID: 1844448
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: The Proposed Defendant Classes

Text: The trial court certified this action for bilateral class treatment. In addition to certifying the plaintiffs' class, the trial court also certified two defendant classes: the proposed arcade defendant class and the proposed leasing defendant class. Although this Court has never had occasion to address the propriety of an action in which a defendant class is certified, federal courts have recognized that the language of Rule 23, Fed.R.Civ.P., authorizes defendant class actions. See 7A Charles Alan Wright et al., Federal Practice & Procedure § 1770 (2002). A proposed defendant class must meet the same prerequisites identified in Rule 23(a)numerosity, commonality of questions of law or fact, typicality, and adequacy of representationand must meet the requirements of one of the subdivisions set forth in Rule 23(b). The trial court purported to certify these two defendant classes pursuant to Rule 23(b)(1)(A), (b)(2), and (b)(3), Ala. R. Civ. P.