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In depth
A class action is a lawsuit in which one or more plaintiffs (class representatives) sue on behalf of a larger group (the class) of people with similar claims. Class actions are most common in the United States but are available in some form in many countries.
For CBD cases, class actions are rare because each case involves a unique citizenship chain with unique documentary evidence. However, class actions have been used in CBD-related litigation — for example, the Canadian 'Lost Canadian' class actions of the 2000s, which sought citizenship for people who lost or never received Canadian citizenship due to outdated provisions.
Ancestra handles individual CBD cases rather than class actions, but monitors class action developments that may affect our clients' cases.
Related terms
Judicial filing is the process of submitting a citizenship application through a court in the country of origin, rather than through a consulate or ministry.
A 'Lost Canadian' is a person who lost or never received Canadian citizenship due to outdated provisions of the Citizenship Act, now eligible for reinstatement under Bill C-71.
A petition is a formal written request to a court seeking a specific order or judgment, the document that initiates a judicial CBD case (e.g., an Italian 1948 case).
A hearing is a court proceeding at which the parties present arguments and evidence, typically one hearing in an Italian 1948 CBD case.
A sentence (Italian: sentenza) is a court's final judgment in a CBD case, recognizing or denying the petitioner's citizenship claim.
An appeal is a request to a higher court to review and overturn a lower court's decision, available in CBD cases that result in an unfavorable sentence.