Ind. Trial Rule 23

Effective January 1, 2023

(A) Prerequisites to a class action.

One or more members of a class may sue or be sued as representative parties on behalf of

all only if:

(1) the class is so numerous that joinder of all members is impracticable;

(2) there are questions of law or fact common to the class;

(3) the claims or defenses of the representative parties are typical of the claims or

defenses of the class; and

(4) the representative parties will fairly and adequately protect the interests of the class.

(B) Class actions maintainable.

An action may be maintained as a class action if the prerequisites of subdivision (A) are satisfied, and in addition:

(1) the prosecution of separate actions by or against individual members of the class

would create a risk of:

(a) inconsistent or varying adjudications with respect to individual members of the

class which would establish incompatible standards of conduct for the party opposing

the class, or

(b) adjudications with respect to individual members of the class which would as a prac-

tical matter be dispositive of the interest of the other members not parties to the adjudications or substantially impair or impede their ability to protect their interests; or

(2) the party opposing the class has acted or refused to act on grounds generally applic-

able to the class, thereby making appropriate final injunctive relief or corresponding

declaratory relief with respect to the class as a whole; or

(3) the court finds that the questions of law or fact common to the members of the class

predominate over any questions affecting only individual members, and that a class

action is superior to other available methods for the fair and efficient adjudication of the

controversy. The matters pertinent to the findings include:

(a) the interest of members of the class in individually controlling the prosecution or

defense of separate actions;

(b) the extent and nature of any litigation concerning the controversy already commenced by or against members of the class;

(c) the desirability or undesirability of concentrating the litigation of the claims in the

particular forum;

(d) the difficulties likely to be encountered in the management of a class action.

(C) Determination by order whether class action to be maintained--

Notice--Judgment--Actions conducted partially as class actions.

(1) As soon as practicable after the commencement of an action brought as a class action, the

court, upon hearing or waiver of hearing, shall determine by order whether it is to be so maintained. An order under this subdivision may be conditional, and may be altered or amended

before the decision on the merits.

(2) In any class action maintained under subdivision (B)(3), the court shall direct to the members of the class the best notice practicable under the circumstances, including individual

notice to all members who can be identified through reasonable effort. The notice shall

advise each member that:

(a) the court will exclude him from the class if he so requests by a specified date;

(b) the judgment, whether favorable or not, will include all members who do not request

exclusion; and

(c) any member who does not request exclusion may, if he desires, enter an appearance

through his counsel.

(3) The judgment in an action maintained as a class action under subdivision (B)(1) or (B)(2),

whether or not favorable to the class, shall include and describe those whom the court finds

to be members of the class. The judgment in an action maintained as a class action under

subdivision (B)(3), whether or not favorable to the class, shall include and specify or describe

those to whom the notice provided in subdivision (C)(2) was directed, and who have not

requested exclusion, and whom the court finds to be members of the class.

(4) When appropriate:

(a) an action may be brought or maintained as a class action with respect to particular

issues; or

(b) a class may be divided into subclasses and each subclass treated as a class, and the

provisions of this rule shall then be construed and applied accordingly.

(D) Orders in conduct of actions.

In the conduct of actions to which this rule applies, the court may make appropriate orders:

(1) determining the course of proceedings or prescribing measures to prevent undue repe-

tition or complication in the presentation of evidence or argument;

(2) requiring, for the protection of the members of the class or otherwise for the fair conduct of the action, that notice be given in such manner as the court may direct to some or

all of the members of any step in the action, or of the proposed extent of the judgment, or

of the opportunity of members to signify whether they consider the representation fair

and adequate, to intervene and present claims or defenses, or otherwise to come into the

action;

(3) imposing conditions on the representative parties or on intervenors;

(4) requiring that the pleadings be amended to eliminate therefrom allegations as to representation of absent persons, and that the action proceed accordingly;

(5) dealing with similar procedural matters.

The orders may be combined with an order under Rule 16, and may be altered or amended

as may be desirable from time to time. The court shall allow reasonable attorney’s fees and

reasonable expenses incurred from a fund recovered for the benefit of a class under this section and the court may apportion such recovery among different attorneys.

(E) Dismissal or compromise.

A class action shall not be dismissed or compromised without the approval of the court, and

notice of the proposed dismissal or compromise shall be given to all members of the class in

such manner as the court directs.

(F) Disposition of Residual Funds.

(1) “Residual Funds” are funds that remain after the payment of all approved class member

claims, expenses, litigation costs, attorneys’ fees, and other court-approved disbursements to

implement the relief granted. Nothing in this rule is intended to limit the trial court from

approving a settlement that does not create residual funds.

(2) Any order entering a judgment or approving a proposed compromise of a class action certified under this rule that establishes a process for identifying and compensating members of

the class shall provide for the disbursement of residual funds, unless otherwise agreed. In

matters where the claims process has been exhausted and residual funds remain, not less

than fifty percent (50%) of the residual funds shall be disbursed to the Indiana Bar Foundation to support the activities and programs of the Coalition for Court Access. The court may

disburse the balance of any residual funds beyond the minimum percentage to the Indiana

Bar Foundation or to any other entity for purposes that have a direct or indirect relationship

to the objectives of the underlying litigation or otherwise promote the substantive or procedural interests of members of the certified class.