State of California v. Levi Strauss & Co.

Opinion

BIRD, C. J.

This court granted a hearing in this case primarily to consider the appropriate methods for distributing damages in consumer class actions. That issue arose as an aspect of intervener’s appeal from the superior court’s approval of a class action settlement. As will appear below, it is now clear that as a result of the passage of time and changes in the position of intervener no practical purpose would be served by invalidating the settlement of this six-year-old class action.

However, a sizable residue has developed in the intervening period, consisting of damages due to…