Co-authored by Rebecca Bjork and Brandon L. Spurlock

The Federal Judicial Center recently released new recommended class action notice forms – including a notice checklist and a plain language guide – to help attorneys and judges create more effective notices and notice plans for Rule 23 certification orders.  View Notice Checklist and Plain Language Guide.

The checklist provides overall guidance on Rule 23 notice and notice plan development. A graphical plain language guide also explains and highlights the important features of the illustrative notices. This guide ought to be required reading for corporate counsel and class action defense counsel, for Judges are apt to utilize this resource on a going-forward basis when reviewing and passing upon certification orders relative to notices to a class.                

The Federal Judicial Center is the research and education agency of the federal judicial system. It was established by Congress to promote continuing education and training for federal judges; develop recommendations about the operation of the federal courts; and conduct and promote research on federal judicial procedures, court operations, and history.