Opinion ID: 2275905
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: The trial court's duty to protect the absent class members

Text: The court has an enhanced duty in class action proceedings to safeguard the interests of the class members who did not participate in the formation of the class. It must be remembered ... that what the court is primarily concerned with here is not the interests of the named plaintiffs and their attorneys but the interests of the members of the class. Kronenberg v. Hotel Governor Clinton, Inc., 281 F.Supp. 622, 625-26 (S.D.N.Y.1967). The court must therefore constantly scrutinize the class attorney to see that he is adequately protecting the interests of the class. North Am. Acceptance Corp. Sec. Cases v. Arnall, 593 F.2d 642, 645 (5th Cir.1979). In assessing the ability of the plaintiffs' counsel to carry out his fiduciary duties to absent class members we think the court should use its broad administrative, as well as adjudicative power, as guardian of the rights of the absentees to see that the absentees are represented by counsel who is ethically as well as intellectually competent to represent them. Stavrides v. Mellon Nat'l Bank & Trust Co., 60 F.R.D. 634, 637 (W.D.Pa.1973) (internal quotations omitted). The court also has a duty to the defendants in a class action proceeding to ensure that the litigation will comply with due process and achieve a final binding resolution of the dispute. See Am. Family Mut. Ins. Co. v. Clark, 106 S.W.3d 483, 495-96 (Mo. banc 2003) (Wolff, J., concurring).