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Legal Mechanism of the Class Action in the United States

G.O. Abolonin, 
Candidate of Legal Sciences, Consultant on Legal Regulation of Investment, 
Judicial Protection of Rights and Legitimate Interests of Foreign Investors 

The article is devoted to the application of the institute of class actions in the USA legal system. There are applied specific rules in the trial of class actions: each of the parties must bear its own legal costs associated with the civil case. All legal costs incurred in the case from the losing party are not awarded to the party in whose favor was the decision of the court. Also institute of punitive damages is applied, which is a remedial order under which the court awards the victim of the offense the sum of financial compensation for any damage or losses in excess of its real character. It is considered that by doing so the court operates in the public interest by punishing the offender for the commission of a violation of rights and legitimate interests of the person and thus providing a preventive effect to prevent further offenses. 

Keywords: civil procedure of the USA; class actions.

References

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Information about the author

Abolonin G.O. (Moscow) – Candidate of Legal Sciences, Consultant on Legal Regulation of Investment, Judicial Protection of Rights and Legitimate Interests of Foreign Investors (e-mail: [email protected]).

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G.O. Abolonin