{"id":3114,"date":"2026-07-17T12:34:51","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T16:34:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/?p=3114"},"modified":"2026-07-17T12:34:52","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T16:34:52","slug":"the-class-action-weekly-wire-episode-156-mid-year-class-certification-review-analysis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/2026\/07\/17\/the-class-action-weekly-wire-episode-156-mid-year-class-certification-review-analysis\/","title":{"rendered":"The Class Action Weekly Wire \u2013 Episode 156: Mid-Year Class Certification Review &amp; Analysis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2026\/07\/image-2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2026\/07\/image-2-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3116\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2026\/07\/image-2-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2026\/07\/image-2-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2026\/07\/image-2-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2026\/07\/image-2-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2026\/07\/image-2.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Duane Morris Takeaway:<\/em><\/strong><em> <\/em>This week\u2019s episode features Duane Morris partners Jerry Maatman and Jennifer Riley with their analysis of class certification data in the first six months of 2026 and their prognostications for trends shaping the remainder of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Read our full mid-year settlement review <a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/2026\/07\/01\/duane-morris-class-action-review-2026-2027-mid-year-class-action-settlement-report-analysis\/\">here<\/a> and class certification data <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/2026\/07\/07\/dmcar-mid-year-review-2026-2027-flsa-conditional-certification-rate-drops-and-so-far-in-2026-courts-are-granting-less-class-certification-motions-overall-compared-to-2025\/\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Check out today\u2019s episode and subscribe to our show from your preferred podcast platform: <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/2HZP212kEycOPXPY7Qppzr\">Spotify<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/music.amazon.com\/podcasts\/a23249e0-d394-470c-ba27-b4d87dcf4381\/the-class-action-weekly-wire\">Amazon Music<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/the-class-action-weekly-wire\/id1709589577\">Apple Podcasts<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/podcastindex.org\/podcast\/6626090\">Podcast Index<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/tunein.com\/radio\/The-Class-Action-Weekly-Wire-p3882927\/\">Tune In<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.listennotes.com\/podcasts\/the-class-action-weekly-wire-duane-morris-uQEYrwG7MOU\/\">Listen Notes<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iheart.com\/podcast\/269-the-class-action-weekly-wi-124460701\/\">iHeartRadio<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.deezer.com\/us\/show\/1000307221\">Deezer<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@DMClassAction\">YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Class Action Weekly Wire \u2013 Episode 156: Mid-Year Class Certification Review &amp; Analysis\" width=\"525\" height=\"295\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/2C7mV36KZcE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Episode Transcript<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Jerry Maatman<\/strong>: Hello, everyone, and welcome to the next episode of the Class Action Weekly Wire. I&#8217;m Jerry Maatman, and with me today for a special mid-year review of class certification numbers is Jen Riley. Jen, welcome back to the show.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Jennifer Riley:<\/strong> Thanks, Jerry, it&#8217;s great to be here, especially with so much going on in the class action space this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Jerry:<\/strong> Well, here we are, halfway through 2026. Let&#8217;s start with the big picture. Courts ruled on more than 155 class certification motions in just the first half of the year, and plaintiffs were successful in 63% of those situations. That&#8217;s quite a difference from the year before, isn&#8217;t it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Jennifer:<\/strong> It is. Last year, the success rate was 68%, so we&#8217;re seeing a notable downtick. An even bigger change that we saw in 2024, 2023, and 2022, when certification success rates hit 69%, 72%, and 74%, respectively. So, the trajectory so far this year suggests that plaintiffs might not be as successful as they have been in the past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Jerry:<\/strong> Seems to me what&#8217;s interesting, behind the numbers is the downturn isn&#8217;t across the board, it really depends on the subject matter area at issue in the class action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Jennifer:<\/strong> Exactly. So, certification rates are all over the place. FCRA, TCPA, RICO, and WARN class certification decisions have all been small in number, with only one or two rulings in each of those areas, but all of them have been granted. So, 80% of class certification motions and securities fraud cases have been granted. Then on the flip side, less than half of certification motions and privacy were granted, and the one ruling on a class certification and products liability was denied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2026\/07\/image-17.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"809\" height=\"455\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2026\/07\/image-17.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3115\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2026\/07\/image-17.jpg 809w, https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2026\/07\/image-17-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2026\/07\/image-17-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Jerry:<\/strong> That really does run the gamut, and its very statute-oriented or subject matter oriented. Let&#8217;s talk about wage and hour or Fair Labor Standards Act conditional certification. Does that continue to be the most active area litigation in this space?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Jennifer:<\/strong> It does. From January through June, courts issued 69 rulings in FLSA matters. 67 of those were first stage motions for conditional certification, and plaintiffs won 39. So, that&#8217;s a success rate of only 58%, which is way down from the 76% in 2025 and the 79% we saw in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Jerry:<\/strong> When I look at those numbers and look at the locations, it&#8217;s striking how those rulings are congregated in certain geographic areas. A large chunk came from the Second and Ninth Circuits \u2013 places like New York City and San Francisco and Los Angeles, which tend to be more favorable to the plaintiffs\u2019 bar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Jennifer:<\/strong> That&#8217;s absolutely right. And at the decertification stage, the usual trend where defendants succeed more often hasn&#8217;t really been playing out this year. We&#8217;ve seen only two decertification rulings so far, and plaintiffs won one of those. So, it&#8217;s 50-50 so far this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Jerry:<\/strong> One of the key takeaways for me from this mid-year data analytics analysis is how much locations impact where cases get filed. We&#8217;re seeing very few rulings, for instance, from the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Circuits: only five in total. Any thoughts on why this is going on?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Jennifer:<\/strong> Great question. So, I think it&#8217;s likely a strategic move by the plaintiffs. Those circuits have adopted stricter standards for conditional certification, really making them less appealing venues. So, plaintiffs may be shifting, shifting their filings toward more lenient circuits to give them a better chance of success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Jerry:<\/strong> If more circuits would follow the lead of the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Circuits, and start abandoning the traditional two-step certification process established in the<em> Lusardi <\/em>case out of New Jersey in 1987, that could have a big impact on where cases are brought and how they&#8217;re treated by the courts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Jennifer:<\/strong> Absolutely. The mid-year numbers show us that venue selection, subject matter, and timing are all very critical in class action strategy. And with the FLSA continuing to dominate, we&#8217;ll be watching closely to see how courts respond in the second half of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Jerry:<\/strong> Well, we&#8217;ll have the final data and full analysis in the <em>Duane Morris Class Action Review<\/em> for 2027 coming out in the first week of January of next year, so stay tuned. We&#8217;ll be back with more insights then. Jen, thanks as always for being here and for giving us your analysis of these trends on class certification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Jennifer:<\/strong> Thank you, Jerry, and thanks to our listeners for tuning in.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Duane Morris Takeaway: This week\u2019s episode features Duane Morris partners Jerry Maatman and Jennifer Riley with their analysis of class certification data in the first six months of 2026 and their prognostications for trends shaping the remainder of the year. Read our full mid-year settlement review here and class certification data here. Check out today\u2019s &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/2026\/07\/17\/the-class-action-weekly-wire-episode-156-mid-year-class-certification-review-analysis\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;The Class Action Weekly Wire \u2013 Episode 156: Mid-Year Class Certification Review &amp; Analysis&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":583,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[30],"class_list":["post-3114","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-class-action-weekly-wire"],"authors":[{"term_id":30,"user_id":583,"is_guest":0,"slug":"classactiondefense","display_name":"Class Action Defense","avatar_url":"https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2020\/10\/dmlogo.jpg","author_category":"","last_name":"Defense","first_name":"Class Action","job_title":"","user_url":"","description":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3114","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/583"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3114"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3114\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3117,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3114\/revisions\/3117"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3114"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3114"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3114"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.duanemorris.com\/classactiondefense\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=3114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}