HR 2341 107th Congress House

Class Action Fairness Act of 2002

Official title: To amend the procedures that apply to consideration of interstate class actions to assure fairer outcomes for class members and defendants, to outlaw certain p… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend the procedures that apply to consideration of interstate class actions to assure fairer outcomes for class members and defendants, to outlaw certain practices that provide inadequate settlements for class members, to assure that attorneys do not receive a disproportionate amount of settlements at the expense of class members, to provide for clearer and simpler information in class action settlement notices, to assure prompt consideration of interstate class actions, to amend title 28, United States Code, to allow the application of the principles of Federal diversity jurisdiction to interstate class actions, and for other purposes.

Introduced: November 16, 2001 See on congress.gov

Law Appellate procedureCivil Rights and Liberties, Minority IssuesClass actions (Civil procedure)Commerce

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CongressCongressional reporting requirementsCorporate governanceCourt recordsDamagesDiscovery (Law)DiscriminationDistrict courtsFinance and Financial SectorGovernment Operations and PoliticsGovernment paperworkInjunctionsJudicial reviewJurisdictionLegal advertising and soliciting

Everywhere this bill has been 42 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Jul 31, 2002

Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held.

Mar 14, 2002

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Mar 13, 2002

Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 233 - 190 (Roll no. 62).

Mar 13, 2002

On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: 191 - 235 (Roll no. 61).

Mar 13, 2002

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Mar 13, 2002

The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.

Mar 13, 2002

Floor summary: DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion require the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment providing that any defendant who is a knowing participant in any conspiracy to hijack any aircraft or commit an act of terrorism shall not be entitled to remove a class action to federal court pursuant to section 1332(d) of title 28, as added by section 4 of the bill.

Mar 13, 2002

Mr. Sandlin moved to recommit with instructions to Judiciary.

Mar 13, 2002

The House adopted the amendment in the nature of a substitute as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.

Mar 13, 2002

The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.

Mar 13, 2002

The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 2341.

Mar 13, 2002

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 367, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the Hart amendment.

Mar 13, 2002

VOTE POSTPONED - At the conclusion of debate on the amendment, the Chair put the question on the adoption of the amendment and by voice vote announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Frank demanded a recorded vote and made a point of no quorum. Pursuant to clause 8 of Rule XX, the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment and the point of no quorum was considered withdrawn.

Mar 13, 2002

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 367, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the Frank amendment.

Mar 13, 2002

VOTE POSTPONED - At the conclusion of debate on the amendment, the Chair put the question on the adoption of the amendment and by voice vote announced that the noes had prevailed. Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas demanded a recorded vote and made a point of no quorum. Pursuant to clause 8 of Rule XX, the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment and the point of no quorum was considered withdrawn.

Mar 13, 2002

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 367, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the Jackson-Lee, (TX) amendment.

Mar 13, 2002

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 367, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the Conyers amendment.

Mar 13, 2002

VOTE POSTPONED - At the conclusion of debate on the amendment, the Chair put the question on the adoption of the amendment and by voice vote announced that the noes had prevailed. Ms. Lofgren demanded a recorded vote and made a point of no quorum. Pursuant to clause 8 of Rule XX, the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment and the point of no quorum was considered withdrawn.

Mar 13, 2002

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 367, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the Lofgren amendment.

Mar 13, 2002

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 367, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the Keller amendment.

Mar 13, 2002

VOTE POSTPONED - At the conclusion of debate on the amendment, the Chair put the question on the adoption of the amendment and by voice vote announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Conyers demanded a recorded vote and made a point of no quorum. Pursuant to clause 8 of Rule XX, the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment and the point of no quorum was considered withdrawn.

Mar 13, 2002

Debate - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 367, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the Waters amendment.

Mar 13, 2002

VOTE POSTPONED - At the conclusion of debate on the amendment, the Chair put the question on the adoption of the amendment and by voice vote announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Nadler demanded a recorded vote and made a point of no quorum. Pursuant to clause 8 of Rule XX, the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment and the point of no quorum was considered withdrawn.

Mar 13, 2002

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 367, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the Nadler amendment.

Mar 13, 2002

GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 2341.

Mar 13, 2002

House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 367 and Rule XXIII.

Mar 13, 2002

The Speaker designated the Honorable John Linder to act as Chairman of the Committee.

Mar 13, 2002

Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 2341 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. It shall be in order to consider as an original bill for the purpose of amendment under the five-minute rule the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in the bill. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. Measure will be considered read. Specified amendments are in order.

Mar 13, 2002

Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 367. (consideration: CR H847-886)

Mar 13, 2002

Rule H. Res. 367 passed House.

Mar 12, 2002

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 213.

Mar 12, 2002

Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 367 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 2341 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. It shall be in order to consider as an original bill for the purpose of amendment under the five-minute rule the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in the bill. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. Measure will be considered read. Specified amendments are in order.

Mar 12, 2002

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 107-370. (text of measure as reported in House: CR 3/13/2002 H857-859)

Mar 12, 2002

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 107-370.(text of measure as reported in House: CR 3/13/2002 H857-859)

Mar 7, 2002

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 16 - 10.

Mar 7, 2002

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Mar 7, 2002

Mr. Armey asked unanimous consent that the Committee on Judiciary have until 7:00 p.m. on March 11 to file a report on H.R. 2341. Agreed to without objection.

Mar 6, 2002

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Feb 6, 2002

Committee Hearings Held.

Jun 27, 2001

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Jun 27, 2001

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1234)

Jun 27, 2001

Introduced in House

Votes taken on this bill 2

Date	Chamber	What was voted on	Result	Yes–No
Mar 13, 2002	House · vote #62	On Passage	Passed	233–190	See who voted →
Mar 13, 2002	House · vote #61	On Motion to Recommit with Instructions	Failed	191–235	See who voted →

Amendments to this bill 8

Amendments propose changes to this bill. Members vote on amendments separately before the final bill vote. An agreed amendment becomes part of the bill; a failed amendment does not.

3 agreed to 5 failed

Amendment	Sponsor	Purpose	Status	Latest action
HAMDT 442	–	An amendment to create a new section 7 which would require the Judical Conference of the United States to con…	Agreed to	Mar 13, 2002
HAMDT 441	–	An amendment that provides that aspects of class actions filed in state court that could not be maintained un…	Failed	Mar 13, 2002
HAMDT 440	–	An amendment to prohibit a party to a class action from removing the case to a district court if that party d…	Failed	Mar 13, 2002
HAMDT 439	–	An amendment to treat a foreign corporation which acquires a domestic corporation in a corporate repatriation…	Failed	Mar 13, 2002
HAMDT 438	Lofgren, Zoe	An amendment that seeks to federalize any state cause of action that is brought on behalf of the general publ…	Failed	Mar 13, 2002
HAMDT 437	–	An amendment which ensures that when a class action judgment favors the plaintiff that their attorneys must d…	Agreed to	Mar 13, 2002
HAMDT 436	Waters, Maxine	An amendment which addresses parties that witheld or shred documents related to court-ordered discovery. Such…	Failed	Mar 13, 2002
HAMDT 435	Nadler, Jerrold	An amendment which prevents records of class action cases from being sealed, if doing so harms the public hea…	Agreed to	Mar 13, 2002

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Latest action July 31, 2002

Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held.

Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Class Action Fairness Act of 2001 - Establishes a consumer class action bill of rights, including provision for: (1) judicial review and approval of noncash settlements; (2) protection against loss by class members because of payments to class counsel; (3) a prohibition against court approval of a proposed settlement providing for greater payments to class members because they are located in closer geographic proximity to the court; (4) a prohibition against court approval of a proposed settlement providing for payment of a greater share of the award to a class representative serving on behalf of a class; (5) standardized settlement notification information; and (6) pleading requirements.

Grants the district courts original jurisdiction of any civil action in which the matter in controversy exceeds $2 million, exclusive of interest and costs, and is a class action in which any member of a class of plaintiffs is: (1) a citizen of a State different from any defendant; (2) a foreign state or a citizen or subject of a foreign state and any defendant is a citizen of a State; or (3) a citizen of a State and any defendant is a foreign state or a citizen or subject of a foreign state. Lists exceptions, such as where a class action brought by shareholders solely involves a claim concerning a covered security or relating to the internal governance of a corporation.

Sets forth procedures for removal of interstate class actions to U.S. district court and for review of orders remanding class actions to State courts.

Grants the courts of appeals jurisdiction of appeals from orders of the U.S. district courts granting or denying class certification under rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, if notice of appeal is filed within ten days after entry of the order.

Related & companion bills 1

Bill text 4 versions

Engrossed in House Formatted Text PDF
Introduced in House Formatted Text PDF
Referred in Senate Formatted Text PDF
Reported in House Formatted Text PDF

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

Committees of jurisdiction 2

Judiciary Committee
House of Representatives
Judiciary Committee
Senate

Cosponsors 10

Graham, Lindsey

South Carolina · Mar 5, 2002

Graves, Sam

Missouri · Mar 5, 2002

California · Dec 18, 2001

Wicker, Roger F.

Mississippi · Nov 28, 2001

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APA

U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 2341: Class Action Fairness Act of 2002. 107th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/107-HR-2341/

MLA

"H.R. 2341: Class Action Fairness Act of 2002." 107th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/107-HR-2341/.

Bluebook (legal)

H.R. 2341, 107th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/107-HR-2341/.

Markdown link

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