Hospitality Management Associates, Inc. v. Shell Oil Co.

Justice WALLER:

In this direct appeal, the trial court denied appellants’ request for class certification and granted summary judgment in favor of respondents. The main issue of this appeal is whether two nationwide class action settlements approved by the Alabama and Tennessee state courts are entitled to full faith and credit, thereby precluding appellants — as absent class members who did not opt out — from proceeding with this action. Moreover, the crucial sub-issue of that question is what is the appropriate scope of collateral review this Court should give to the rendering courts’ final…