About a year and a half ago we alerted readers to a Petition for Rulemaking proposing that the FCC allow lawyers to file class actions on behalf of complainants. Rather than summarily toss the petition, the Commission invited public comments on it. And now, 19 months down the line, the Commission has tossed the petition.
Not surprisingly, the FCC sees no need to set up a new class action process when the federal courts are already highly experienced in handling such cases. Further, there’s the question of resources: the Commission recognizes that implementation of a class action process would suck up “considerable resources” and would entail various litigation-related activities with which the Commission has no experience. Why bother, when the existing complaint procedures already emphasize “streamlined and expeditious dispute resolution”? And anyway, there’s no evidence that folks who complain to the FCC would prefer to be shunted off into Class Action Land, that the Commission could force them to go that route in any event, or that their various complaints would necessarily raise the common issues of law and fact necessary for class action treatment.
So if you’re thinking of filing a class action, don’t waste time going to the FCC – just head to court straightaway.
