By Richard W. Wigley  KingandWood Mallesons’ IP Group

wigley_richardThe framework for variants of class action-type litigation in the People’s Republic of China has been in place since the initial promulgation of the Civil Procedure Law of the P.R.C. (“CPL”) in 1991.   The recently amended CPL provides requirements for filing a “joint litigation” for suits where “the object of the action is of the same category and a party consists of numerous persons” and where the parties may choose to elect a representative.[1] Further to whether standing is afforded the plaintiff and the filing requirements for such litigation, the CPL provides that “[t]he plaintiff must be a citizen, legal person, or an organization having a direct interest with the case … there must be a specific defendant … [and] there must be a specific claim and a specific factual basis and grounds ….”[2] Though with certain differences, the CPL provides a framework which allows for joint litigation which has similarities to what is commonly referred to as a “class action lawsuit”.
Continue Reading Trends in Class Action-Type Public Interest Litigation in China

By Richard W. Wigley  King & Wood Mallesons’ IP Litigation Group

wigley_richardThe framework for variants of class action-type litigation in the People’s Republic of China has been in place since the initial promulgation of the Civil Procedure Law of the P.R.C. (“CPL”) in 1991. The amended CPL provides requirements for filing a “joint litigation” for suits where “the object of the action is of the same category and a party consists of numerous persons” and where the parties may choose to elect a representative.[1] Further as to whether standing is afforded the plaintiff and the filing requirements for such litigation, the CPL provides that “[t]he plaintiff must be a citizen, legal person, or an organization having a direct interest with the case … there must be a specific defendant … [and] there must be a specific claim and a specific factual basis and grounds ….”[2] In short, the CPL provides a framework which allows for what is a variation of what is commonly referred to as a “class action lawsuit”.
Continue Reading Class Action-type Litigation in China

作者:王开定 金杜律师事务所公司

集体诉讼[1]是美国联邦民事诉讼规则中一个非常重要也富有争议的法律制度。在传统的民事诉讼程序中,法院审理的是一个原告和一个被告之间的争议。在集体诉讼中,集体代表代表全体集体成员向法院提起诉讼。集体代表之外的缺席集体成员不是传统意义上的诉讼当事人,他们不参与诉讼程序。无论判决对集体成员是否有利或者不利,集体诉讼判决将约束所有集体成员。

在美国,集体诉讼比民事诉讼的任何其它领域更受到法院、立法机构、学术界和实务界的关注。集体诉讼涉及生活中受到广泛关注的各种问题,这些问题涉及石棉诉讼、飞机失事、证券欺诈、反垄断、消费者权益保护、环境保护、种族歧视、性别歧视、就业歧视、输血、烟草、公民权利保护、员工福利、产品责任等方面。同时,集体诉讼比民事诉讼的任何其他领域更有争议。赞成者主张,集体诉讼是美国“二十世纪程序法最重要的发展之一”。法院应更多地使用集体诉讼,以达到改良社会目的,同时为那些在经济上无法起诉的受害者提供救济。反对者认为,除了使公司破产、律师发财、法院积压案件外,集体诉讼一无是处。Continue Reading 美国集体诉讼规则中平衡当事人利益的机制