Rule 1-023. Class actions.

A. Prerequisites to a class action. One or more members of a class may sue or be sued as representative parties on behalf of all only if (1) the class is so numerous that joinder of all members is impracticable; (2) there are questions of law or fact common to the class; (3) the claims or defenses of the representative parties are typical of the claims or defenses of the class; and (4) the representative parties will fairly and adequately protect the interests of the class. B. Class actions maintainable. An action may be maintained as a class action if the prerequisites of Paragraph A of this rule are satisfied, and in addition (1) the prosecution of separate actions by or against individual members of the class would create a risk of (a) inconsistent or varying adjudications with respect to individual members of the class which would establish incompatible standards of conduct for the party opposing the class; or (b) adjudications with respect to individual members of the class which would as a practical matter be dispositive of the interests of the other members not parties to the adjudications or substantially impair or impede their ability to protect their interests; (2) the party opposing the class has acted or refused to act on grounds generally applicable to the class, thereby making appropriate final injunctive relief or corresponding declaratory relief with respect to the class as a whole; or (3) the court finds that the questions of law or fact common to the members of the class predominate over any questions affecting only individual members, and that a class action is superior to other available methods for the fair and efficient adjudication of the controversy. The matters pertinent to the findings include (a) the interest of members of the class in individually controlling the prosecution or defense of separate actions; (b) the extent and nature of any litigation concerning the controversy already commenced by or against members of the class; (c) the desirability or undesirability of concentrating the litigation of the claims in the particular forum; (d) the difficulties likely to be encountered in the management of a class action. C. Determination by order whether class action to be maintained; notice; judgment; actions conducted partially as class actions. (1) As soon as practicable after the commencement of an action brought as a class action, the court shall determine by order whether it is to be so maintained. An order under this subparagraph may be conditional, and may be altered or amended before the decision on the merits. (2) In any class action maintained under Paragraph (B)(3) of this rule, the court shall direct to the members of the class the best notice practicable under the circumstances, including individual notice to all members who can be identified through reasonable effort. The notice shall advise each member that (a) the court will exclude the member from the class if the member so requests by a specified date; (b) the judgment whether favorable or not, will include all members who do not request exclusion; and (c) any member who does not request exclusion may, if the member desires, enter an appearance through counsel. (3) The judgment in an action maintained as a class action under Paragraph (B)(1) or (B)(2) of this rule, whether or not favorable to the class, shall include and describe those whom the court finds to be members of the class. The judgment in an action maintained as a class action under Paragraph (B)(3) of this rule, whether or not favorable to the class, shall include and specify or describe those to whom the notice provided in Paragraph (C)(2) of this rule was directed, and who have not requested exclusion, and whom the court finds to be members of the class. (4) When appropriate (a) an action may be brought or maintained as a class action with respect to particular issues; or (b) a class may be divided into subclasses and each subclass treated as a class, and the provisions of this rule shall then be construed and applied accordingly. D. Orders in conduct of actions. In the conduct of actions to which this rule applies, the court may make appropriate orders (1) determining the course of proceedings or prescribing measures to prevent undue repetition or complication in the presentation of evidence or argument; (2) requiring, for the protection of the members of the class or otherwise for the fair conduct of the action, that notice be given in the manner as the court may direct to some or all of the members of any step in the action, or of the proposed extent of the judgment, or of the opportunity of members to signify whether they consider the representation fair and adequate, to intervene and present claims or defenses, or otherwise to come into the action; (3) imposing conditions on the representative parties or on intervenors; (4) requiring that the pleadings be amended to eliminate therefrom allegations as to representation of absent persons, and that the action proceed accordingly; (5) dealing with similar procedural matters. The orders may be combined with an order under Rule 1-016 NMRA, and may be altered or amended as may be desirable from time to time. E. Dismissal or compromise. A class action shall not be dismissed or compromised without the approval of the court, and notice of the proposed dismissal or compromise shall be given to all members of the class in the manner as the court directs. F. Appeals. The Court of Appeals may in its discretion permit an appeal from an order of a district court granting or denying class action certification under this rule if application is made to it within fifteen (15) days after entry of the order. An appeal does not stay proceedings in the district court unless the district judge or the Court of Appeals so orders. G. Residual funds to named organization. (1) For purposes of Paragraph (G)(2) of this rule, "residual funds" are (a) unclaimed funds, including uncashed checks and other unclaimed payments, that remain after payment of all approved class member claims, expenses, litigation costs, attorneys' fees, and other court-approved disbursements or dispositions to implement the relief granted, whether the payments are drawn from a common fund or directly from the judgment debtor’s own funds; or (b) if it is impossible or economically impractical to distribute the common fund to the class at all, the entire common fund after payment of all approved expenses, litigation costs, attorneys' fees, and other court-approved disbursements or dispositions to implement the relief granted, whether the payments are drawn from a common fund or directly from the judgment debtor’s own funds. (2) Either in its order entering a judgment or approving a proposed settlement of a class action certified under this rule that establishes a process for identifying and compensating members of the class or by a subsequent order entered when residual funds are determined to exist, the court shall provide for the disbursement of residual funds, if any, to one or more of the following entities: (a) nonprofit organizations that support projects that benefit the class or similarly situated persons consistent with the goals of the underlying causes of action on which relief was based; (b) educational entities that provide training, teaching and legal services that further the goals of the underlying causes of action on which relief was based; (c) nonprofit organizations that provide legal services to low income persons; (d) the entity administering the IOLTA fund under Rule 24-109 NMRA, to support activities and programs that promote access to the civil justice system for low income residents of New Mexico; and (e) the entity administering the pro hac vice fund under Rule 24-106 NMRA, to support activities and programs that promote access to the civil justice system for low income residents of New Mexico. (3) Nothing in this paragraph is intended to prevent the parties to a class action from proposing, or the trial court from approving, a settlement that does not create residual funds.