The Northern District of California comprehensively updated its
Procedural Guidance for Class Action Settlements on Nov. 1, 2018,
requiring increased disclosures for preliminary and final
settlement approvals, and more transparency in post-distribution
accounting. Failure to follow the guidance may result in delay or
denial of settlement approval. Federal class action lawyers should
be aware of the updated settlement approval rules in the Northern
District of California, one of the busiest and most influential
districts for class action litigation.
1. Preliminary Approval
The N.D. Cal. Procedural Guidance details 12 buckets of
information (many with subparts) parties must provide to the court
to obtain preliminary approval for a class action settlement,
frontloading and expanding many of the required disclosures
regarding the substance of the settlement, attorneys' fees and
administrative issues. The guidance recommends parties to take
these requirements into
