Experts on the law, passed by Congress in 1991, say there may be a dozen similar class-action cases around the country.

Such class-action cases have prompted some critics to challenge the use of tax dollars.

Not very, say academics and lawyers familiar with class-action cases.

Most other states active in class-action cases fall somewhere in between.

The typical fees in class-action cases range from 25 to 30 percent of the settlement.

Checks from the case, one of the rare class-action cases to go to trial, were mailed about a month ago.

During that period the number of class-action cases grew to 60 from 50, the company reported.

For one, a class-action case against the cigarette industry had never previously gone to trial.

These events inspired thousands of lawsuits and the largest class-action case in American history.

But the type of class-action case under way in Florida is not covered by that settlement.