What is the concept of a "class action" lawsuit?

The concept of a "class action" lawsuit is accurately captured by the idea that it involves a legal action filed by multiple plaintiffs on behalf of a larger group. In a class action, a representative plaintiff or plaintiffs bring a lawsuit against a defendant, typically because the plaintiffs have similar claims arising from the same circumstances. This allows individuals who might face prohibitive costs or have smaller claims to consolidate their cases into one, making it more efficient and accessible to seek justice and compensation.

The class action mechanism is particularly useful in cases where individual claims would not be practical or economically feasible to litigate separately. It helps to address grievances that affect a large number of people, such as consumer fraud, environmental disasters, or widespread discrimination.

The other options do not encapsulate the essence of a class action. Individual lawsuits are not representative of the class action structure, and cases with only one plaintiff do not involve the collective aspect that defines a class action. Additionally, focusing solely on governmental regulations does not reflect the broad range of issues addressed in class action lawsuits, which can also encompass civil issues affecting vast groups of affected individuals.