l CIfo ns: 5?l !. S.

____ (20l3)
Sfnfomonf of A!ITO, J.
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
ICO!AS MA!TI, t. CA!! I!ISSIC, IT A!.
O IITITIO IO! W!IT OI CI!TIO!A!I TO THI !ITI
STATIS CO!!T OI AIIIA!S IO! THI SICO CI!C!IT
o. l3l69 ocIdod ovombor l8, 20l3
Tho ofIfIon for n wrIf of corfIornrI Is donIod.
THI CHIII J!STICI fook no nrf In fho consIdornfIon or
docIsIon of fhIs ofIfIon.
Sfnfomonf of J!STICI A!ITO, rosocfIng fho donInI of fho
ofIfIon for wrIf of corfIornrI.
Tho ofIfIon In fhIs cnso chnIIongos n hIghIy unusunI
rncfIco foIIowod by ono IsfrIcf Courf Judgo In nssossIng
fho ndoquncy of counsoI In cInss ncfIons. ThIs judgo InsIsfs
fhnf cInss counsoI onsuro fhnf fho Inwyors sfnffod on fho
cnso fnIrIy rofIocf fho cInss comosIfIon In forms of roIo-
vnnf rnco nnd gondor mofrIcs. A. fo Iof. for Corf. 35n.
Tho unIquonoss of fhIs rncfIco woIghs ngnInsf rovIow by
fhIs Courf, buf fho monnIng of fho Courf`s donInI of fho
ofIfIon shouId nof bo mIsundorsfood.
I
In 2008, fho nfIon`s onIy fwo rovIdors of snfoIIIfo
dIgIfnI nudIo rndIo sorvIcos, SIrIus SnfoIIIfo !ndIo, Inc.,
nnd XM SnfoIIIfo HoIdIngs, Inc., morgod fo form n now
comnny, SIrIus XM !ndIo, Inc. (SIrIus). 1J., nf 8n9n.
ThoIr subscrIbors cInImod fho morgor vIoInfod nnfIfrusf
Inws nnd fIIod sovornI cInss ncfIons fhnf woro joInod In
n consoIIdnfod comInInf nnd nssIgnod fo Judgo HnroId
Inor, Jr., of fho Soufhorn IsfrIcf of ow York. Judgo
Inor noInfod fhroo Inw fIrms fo sorvo ns InforIm cInss
counsoI. 1IiJ.
In JuIy 20l0, cInss InInfIffs movod fo corfIfy n fodornI
nnfIfrusf cInss. 1IiJ. CInss corfIfIcnfIon Is govornod by




















2 MA!TI t. I!ISSIC
Sfnfomonf of A!ITO, J.
IodornI !uIo of CIvII Irocoduro 23, whIch sofs ouf fho
roquIromonfs fhnf n ufnfIvo cInss musf moof fo gnIn cor-
fIfIcnfIon. Ono such roquIromonf Is ndoqunfo cInss coun-
soI; subsocfIon (g) ordors fho dIsfrIcf courf fo consIdor
four nrfIcuInr IndIcnfors of ndoquncy. If rovIdos nIso
fhnf fho dIsfrIcf courf mny consIdor nny ofhor mnffor
orfInonf fo counsoI`s nbIIIfy fo fnIrIy nnd ndoqunfoIy
rorosonf fho Inforosfs of fho cInss. Iod. !uIo CIv.
Iroc. 23(g)(l)(I).
CIfIng fhnf rovIsIon, Judgo Inor ordorod fhnf fho fhroo
Inw fIrms noInfod ns InforIm counsoI (nnd subsoquonfIy
oIovnfod fo ormnnonf counsoI) onsuro fhnf fho Inwyors
sfnffod on fho cnso fnIrIy rofIocf fho cInss comosIfIon In
forms of roIovnnf rnco nnd gondor mofrIcs. A. fo Iof.
for Corf. 35n.
CInss corfIfIcnfIon ordors fhnf Imoso rnco- nnd sox-
bnsod sfnffIng roquIromonfs on Inw fIrms nonr fo bo nrf
of Judgo Inor`s sfnndnrd rncfIco. In 200?, Judgo Inor
foIIowod fhIs rncfIco In consIdorIng corfIfIcnfIon of n cInss
of InInfIffs sookIng rodross undor fho ImIoyoo !ofIro-
monf Incomo SocurIfy Acf. Soo 1n re J. P. Morgon Cloee
Coel Bolonce Li/igo/ion, 242 I. !. . 265, 2?? (SY
200?).
Throo yonrs Infor, In Spognolo v. CluII Corp., 264
I. !. . ?6 (SY 20l0), Judgo Inor rofusod fo corfIfy n
ufnfIvo cInss of Insurnnco oIIcyhoIdors In nrf bocnuso
of fho rnco nnd gondor of fho roosod cInss counsoI. Ho
nofod fhnf roosod . . . counsoI . . . hn|d] rovIdod no
InformnfIonfIrm rosumo, nffornoy bIogrnhIos, or ofhor-
wIso|rognrdIng fho rnco or gondor of fho Inwyors nssIgnod
fo fho cnso]. 1J., nf 95, n. 23.
Judgo Inor hns roonfod fhIs rncfIco In nf Ionsf fhroo
nddIfIonnI cInss ncfIons nnrf from fho ono boforo fho
Courf fodny. Soo PuIlic 1nplo,eee` Ie/irenen/ S,e/en of
Miee. v. GolJnon Socle Group, 1nc., 280 I. !. . l30, l42,
n. 6 (SY 20l2); Aeu Jeree, Corpen/ere Heol/l IunJ v.




















3 CIfo ns: 5?l !. S. ____ (20l3)
Sfnfomonf of A!ITO, J.
IeeiJen/iol Copi/ol, LLC, 20l2 W! 4865l?4, *5, n. 5
(SY, Ocf. l5, 20l2); 1n re GilJon Ac/iteueor 1nc. Secu-
ri/iee Li/igo/ion, o. 08 CIv. 5048 (SY, Sof. 20, 20l0).
IoIIowIng corfIfIcnfIon In fho rosonf cnso, SIrIus nnd
cInss counsoI ronchod n soffIomonf fhnf drow objocfIons.
!ndor fho donI, SIrIus wouId froozo Ifs rIcos for fIvo
monfhs nnd ny cInss counsoI $l3 mIIIIon In nffornoy`s
foos. Bleeeing v. Siriue XM IoJio 1nc., 50? Iod. Ax. l,
3, 4 (CA2 20l2). SIrIus wouId ny no cnsh fo cInss mom-
bors. 1IiJ. IcoIns MnrfIn, n cInss mombor nnd ofIfIonor
horo, objocfod, nof onIy fo fhoso forms, buf nIso fo Judgo
Inor`s roIInnco on rnco nnd gondor In nssossIng fho ndo-
quncy of cInss counsoI. IofIfIonor nskod fho Socond CIr-
cuIf fo sof nsIdo fho soffIomonf ns fho fnInfod roducf of
nn InvnIId corfIfIcnfIon ordor. Tho Socond CIrcuIf rojocfod
hIs chnIIongo fo fho corfIfIcnfIon ordor on sfnndIng
grounds, concIudIng fhnf MnrfIn fnIIod fo nIIogo Injury In
fncf. MnrfIn now nsks fhIs Courf fo Inforvono.
II
Insod on fho mnforInIs now boforo us, I nm hnrd-
rossod fo soo nny ground on whIch Judgo Inor`s rncfIco
cnn bo dofondod. ThIs Courf hns offon sfrossod fhnf
|r]ncInI dIscrImInnfIon hns no Inco In fho courfroom,
whofhor fho rocoodIng Is cIvII or crImInnI. 1Jnoneon v.
Leeetille Concre/e Co., 500 !. S. 6l4, 630 (l99l). Courf-
nrovod dIscrImInnfIon bnsod on gondor Is sImIInrIy
objocfIonnbIo, nnd fhoroforo If Is doubffuI fhnf fho rncfIco
In quosfIon couId survIvo n consfIfufIonnI chnIIongo.
Ioforo ronchIng fhIs consfIfufIonnI quosfIon, howovor, n
courf wouId hnvo fo consIdor whofhor fho chnIIongod
rncfIco cnn bo roconcIIod wIfh !uIo 23(g), whIch cnrofuIIy
roguInfos fho noInfmonf of cInss counsoI. Tho noInf-
monf of cInss counsoI Is n sonsIfIvo mnffor. Iocnuso of fho
foos fhnf cInss counsoI mny rocoIvowIfnoss fho rosonf
cnso In whIch counsoI wns nwnrdod $l3 mIIIIon for hnn-
















4 MA!TI t. I!ISSIC
Sfnfomonf of A!ITO, J.
dIIng n cnso In whIch fho cInss mombors rocoIvod no com-
onsnfIonnny dovInfIon from fho crIforIn sof ouf In fho
!uIo mny gIvo rIso fo susIcIons nbouf fnvorIfIsm. Thoro
nro moro fhnn 600 dIsfrIcf judgos, nnd If wouId bo InfoIor-
nbIo If onch judgo ndofod n orsonnIIzod vorsIon of fho
crIforIn sof ouf In !uIo 23(g).
If Is fruo fhnf !uIo 23 nIIows n dIsfrIcf courf fo con-
sIdor nny . . . mnffor orfInonf fo counsoI`s nbIIIfy fo fnIrIy
nnd ndoqunfoIy rorosonf fho Inforosfs of fho cInss,
!uIo 23(g)(l)(I), buf I doubf fhnf fhIs rovIsIon cnn bo
sfrofchod fo jusfIfy fho rncfIco nf Issuo horo. If sooms
quIfo fnrfofchod fo nrguo fhnf cInss counsoI cnnnof fnIrIy
nnd ndoqunfoIy rorosonf n cInss unIoss fho rnco nnd
gondor of counsoI mIrror fho domogrnhIcs of fho cInss.
Indood, If fho IsfrIcf Courf`s ruIo woro fnkon sorIousIy, If
wouId sorIousIy comIIcnfo fho noInfmonf rocoss nnd
Iond fo fruIy bIznrro rosuIfs.
If mny bo no onsy mnffor fo nscorfnIn fho cInss como-
sIfIon In forms of roIovnnf rnco nnd gondor mofrIcs. In
somo cnsos, onIy fho dofondnnf wIII ossoss such Infor-
mnfIon, nnd whoro fhnf Is so, musf fho nrfIos ongngo In
dIscovory on fhIs roIImInnry oInf In ofhor cnsos, If mny
bo ImossIbIo fo obfnIn fho roIovnnf InformnfIon wIfhouf
roquosfIng If from nII of fho mombors of fho cInss. Ior
oxnmIo, In n socurIfIos cnso In whIch fho cInss consIsfs of
ovoryono who urchnsod fho sfock of n nrfIcuInr comnny
durIng n socIfIod orIod, how oIso couId fho rnco or gon-
dor of fho cInss mombors bo nscorfnInod
Whoro fho domogrnhIcs of fho cInss cnn bo nscorfnInod
or nroxImnfod, fnIfhfuI nIIcnfIon of fho IsfrIcf Courf`s
ruIo wouId Iond fo sfrnngo rosuIfs. Tho rncInI nnd ofh-
nIc mnkou of fho InInfIff cInss In mnny cnsos dovInfos
sIgnIfIcnnfIy from fho rncInI nnd ofhnIc mnkou of fho
gonornI ouInfIon or of fho bnr. Suoso, for oxnmIo,
fhnf fho cInss consIsfod of orsons who hnd undorgono n
nrfIcuInr fyo of fronfmonf for rosfnfo cnncor. WouId If


















5 CIfo ns: 5?l !. S. ____ (20l3)
Sfnfomonf of A!ITO, J.
bo roor for n dIsfrIcf judgo fo fnvor Inw fIrms wIfh n hIgh
orconfngo of mnIo nffornoys Or If fho cInss consIsfod of
orsons who hnd undorgono fronfmonf for bronsf cnncor,
wouId If bo ormIssIbIo for n courf fo fnvor fIrms wIfh n
hIgh orconfngo of fomnIo Inwyors In somo cnsos, fho
mombors of n cInss mny bo sIgnIfIcnnfIy moro nffIuonf
fhnn fho gonornI ouInfIon. (A cInss consIsfIng of fho
urchnsors of sfock mny bo nn oxnmIo.) To fho oxfonf
fhnf nffIuonco corroInfos wIfh rnco, wouId If bo roor for n
dIsfrIcf judgo In such n cnso fo fnvor Inw fIrms wIfh roIn-
fIvoIy Iow mInorIfy rorosonfnfIon
Tho Socond CIrcuIf dId nof docIdo whofhor fho IsfrIcf
Courf`s rncfIco Is unconsfIfufIonnI or ofhorwIso unInwfuI
bocnuso fho courf hoId fhnf MnrfIn Inckod sfnndIng fo
chnIIongo fho ordor nf Issuo. MnrfIn dId nof nIIogo fhnf ho
ncfunIIy rocoIvod InforIor rorosonfnfIon, nnd fhoroforo fho
Socond CIrcuIf, InvokIng fho sfnndnrd usod fo doformIno
whofhor n InInfIff hns sfnndIng undor ArfIcIo III of fho
ConsfIfufIon, rofusod fo onforfnIn MnrfIn`s objocfIon on
fho ground fhnf ho hnd sufforod no Injury In fncf. I fInd
fhIs ronsonIng dobnfnbIo.
If Is nof cIonr fhnf n cInss mombor who objocfs fo n
fonfuro of n roosod soffIomonf musf show fhnf fho fon-
furo In quosfIon wouId cnuso fho objocfIng mombor fho
sorf of hnrm fhnf Is noodod fo osfnbIIsh ArfIcIo III sfnnd-
Ing. ArfIcIo III domnnds fhnf fho mombors of fho InInfIff
cInss domonsfrnfo fhnf fhoy woro Injurod In fncf by fho
nIIogod nnfIfrusf vIoInfIons, soo Anclen ProJuc/e, 1nc. v.
WinJeor, 52l !. S. 59l, 6l3 (l99?), buf fho InInfIff cInss`
snfIsfncfIon of fhIs roquIromonf Is nof chnIIongod. Af
Issuo, Insfond, Is MnrfIn`s nbIIIfy fo objocf fo fho roosod
soffIomonf, nnd !uIo 23(o)(5) sfnfos wIfhouf qunIIfIcnfIon
fhnf |n]ny cInss mombor mny objocf fo n roosod sof-
fIomonf roquIrIng courf nrovnI. I nssumo for rosonf
urosos fhnf n courf nood nof onforfnIn fho objocfIon of n
cInss mombor who Is nof nggrIovod by n soffIomonf, buf If






















6 MA!TI t. I!ISSIC
Sfnfomonf of A!ITO, J.
Is by no monns cIonr fo mo fhnf fhIs Is fho snmo ns roquIr-
Ing roof of nn Injury In fncf wIfhIn fho monnIng of ArfIcIo
III. Soo Detlin v. ScorJelle//i, 536 !. S. l, 6? (2002) (nn
objocfIng cInss mombor hns nn Inforosf In fho soffIomonf
fhnf cronfos n 'cnso or confrovorsy` suffIcIonf fo snfIsfy
fho consfIfufIonnI roquIromonfs of Injury, cnusnfIon, nnd
rodrossnbIIIfy).
Whofhor or nof MnrfIn sufforod Injury In fncf In fho
ArfIcIo III sonso, ho unquosfIonnbIy hns n IogIfImnfo In-
forosf In onsurIng fhnf cInss counsoI Is noInfod In n
InwfuI mnnnor. 1IiJ. Tho uso of nny crIforIn nof sof ouf
socIfIcnIIy In !uIo 23(g) or orfInonf fo counsoI`s nbIIIfy
fo fnIrIy nnd ndoqunfoIy rorosonf fho Inforosfs of fho
cInss cronfos n rIsk of Injury fhnf n cInss mombor shouId
nof hnvo fo onduro. And cInss mombors hnvo n sfrong nnd
IogIfImnfo Inforosf In hnvIng /leir nffornoys noInfod
ursunnf fo n rncfIco fhnf Is froo of unInwfuI dIscrImInn-
fIon. If n dIsfrIcf judgo hnd n rncfIco of noInfIng onIy
nffornoys of n nrfIcuInr rnco or gondor, wouId nn noI-
Info courf rofuso fo onforfnIn n cInss mombor`s objocfIon
unIoss fho cInss mombor couId show fhnf fho nffornoy In
quosfIon dId n oor job
!nIIko fho courfs of nonIs, wo nro nof n courf of orror
corrocfIon, nnd fhus I do nof dIsngroo wIfh fho Courf`s
rofusnI fo rovIow fho sInguInr oIIcy nf Issuo horo. I
sfross, howovor, fhnf fho donInI of corfIornrI doos nof
consfIfufo nn oxrossIon of nny oInIon on fho morIfs.
BouneJiene v. Buel, 549 !. S. l328, l329 (200?) (Sfovons
nnd KIIY, JJ., sfnfomonf rosocfIng donInI of corfIo-
rnrI). If fho chnIIongod noInfmonf rncfIco confInuos
nnd Is nof nddrossod by fho Courf of AonIs, fufuro ro-
vIow mny bo wnrrnnfod.