Class Action

Class Action Defense Cases–Dukes v. Wal-Mart: Ninth Grants Rehearing En Banc Of District Court Order Certifying Nationwide Class Action Against Wal-Mart In Labor Law Class Action Alleging Sex Discrimination Covering 1.5 Million Class Members

By Michael J. Hassen

Wal-Mart’s Petition for Rehearing En Banc of District Court Order Certifying Nationwide Labor Law Class Action Alleging Sex Discrimination Against 1.5 Million Employees Granted by Ninth Circuit

We have previously reported on the Ninth Circuit opinion in Dukes v. Wal-Mart, Inc., 474 F.3d 1214 (9th Cir. 2007), which affirmed a district court order granting plaintiffs’ motion for class action certification in a nationwide labor law class action alleging sex discrimination; the certified class action covered 1.5 million members, but the district court concluded that the action nonetheless would be manageable. Our summary of Dukes may be found here. On February 13, 2009, the Ninth Circuit voted to grant Wal-Mart’s petition for rehearing en banc. Dukes v. Wal-Mart, Inc., Case Nos. 04-16688 and 04-16720 (9th Cir. February 13, 2009) [Slip Opn., at 1-2]. Accordingly, the opinion of the three-judge panel affirming the district court order granting class action certification may no longer be cited as precedent in the Ninth Circuit.

Full post as published by Class Action Defense Blog on February 15, 2009 (boomark / email).